title: Computerised tomography scans of the head in a district general hospital.
abstract: We report the results of a retrospective study of all computerised tomography (CT) brain scans of adult patients carried out over a 10-week period, based on radiological and clinical records. The commonest scan results were normal (51%) and stroke (26%), with an overall diagnostic accuracy of 43/80 (54%). On the basis of a retrospective blind survey by a neurologist, 42% of scans were thought not to be indicated. The results indicate the need for: guidelines on the use of CT scanning in stroke. Emphasis of current guidelines on the use of CT scanning in head injury. Neurological assessment of some suspected diagnoses before scanning.
authors.affiliation: Royal United Hospital, Bath.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nixon
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Bateman
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Malthouse
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*