title: Portable head computed tomography scanner--technology and applications: experience with 3421 scans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The use of head computed tomography (CT) is standard in the management of acute brain injury; however, there are inherent risks of transport of critically ill patients. Portable CT can be brought to the patient at any location.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe the clinical use of a portable head CT scanner (CereTom: NeuroLogica: Danvers, MA) that can be brought to the patient's bedside or to other locations such as the operating room or angiography suite.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between June of 2006 and December of 2009, a total of 3421 portable CTs were performed. A total of 3278 (95.8%) were performed in the neuroscience intensive care unit (ICU) for an average of 2.6 neuroscience ICU CT scans per day. Other locations where CTs were performed included other ICUs (n = 97), the operating room (n = 53), the emergency department (n = 1), and the angiography suite (n = 2). Most studies were non-contrasted head CT, though other modalities including xenon/CT, contrasted CT, and CT angiography were performed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Portable head CT can reliably and consistently be performed at the patient's bedside. This should lead to decreased transportation-related morbidity and improved rapid decision making in the ICU, OR, and other locations. Further studies to confirm this clinical advantage are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yonas
mesh_terms: D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003422:Critical Care; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011859:Radiography; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed