title: Near-infrared laser spectroscopy as a screening tool for detecting hematoma in patients with head trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Among imaging techniques, computed tomography (CT) is a reliable method for detecting intracranial hematomas in patients with head trauma, but it is not generally available in special circumstances like prehospital situations and harsh conditions such as those following an earthquake.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to determine if near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is useful for performing CT scans on patients with closed head trauma that present to medical centers that do not have the ability to perform a CT scan or in prehospital or harsh situations. Near-infrared spectroscopy and CT scan were compared according to sensitivity and specificity.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an observational, prospective study. One hundred forty-eight patients admitted to Rasool Akram General Hospital in Tehran, Iran with head injuries during a one-month period were studied using NIRS and CT. The observational, prospective study was conducted and sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of NIRS were calculated. Chi-square and Kappa analysis was performed, and a p-value <0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the CT scan findings, 54 (36.5%) of the patients developed intracranial hematoma. The NIRS examination showed that 69 patients (46.6%) might have intracranial hematoma. The number of true negatives was 73 and the number of false negatives was six patients. The sensitivity and specificity of NIRS examination was 88.9% and 77.7%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study speculates that NIRS may be a useful screening tool to detect intracranial hematoma. This capability could be useful in special situations like in a deprived area, medical centers without CT scan capabilities, prehospital situations, and in harsh conditions like those after an earthquake or other disasters that causes increased numbers of victims with closed head trauma.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Iran University of Medical Science (IUMS), Tehran, Iran.
authors: Hossein
authors: H
authors: Ghalenoui
authors: Hossein
authors: H
authors: Saidi
authors: Mazyar
authors: M
authors: Azar
authors: Seyyed Taha
authors: ST
authors: Yahyavi
authors: Hamid
authors: H
authors: Borghei Razavi
authors: Mahmoudreza
authors: M
authors: Khalatbari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020202:Cerebral Hemorrhage, Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019370:Observation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D055815:Young Adult