Comparative study of earthquake-related and non-earthquake-related head traumas using multidetector computed tomography.
OBJECTIVE
The features of earthquake-related head injuries may be different from those of injuries obtained in daily life because of differences in circumstances. We aim to compare the features of head traumas caused by the Sichuan earthquake with those of other common head traumas using multidetector computed tomography.


METHODS
In total, 221 patients with earthquake-related head traumas (the earthquake group) and 221 patients with other common head traumas (the non-earthquake group) were enrolled in our study, and their computed tomographic findings were compared. We focused the differences between fractures and intracranial injuries and the relationships between extracranial and intracranial injuries.


RESULTS
More earthquake-related cases had only extracranial soft tissue injuries (50.7% vs. 26.2%, RR = 1.9), and fewer cases had intracranial injuries (17.2% vs. 50.7%, RR = 0.3) compared with the non-earthquake group. For patients with fractures and intracranial injuries, there were fewer cases with craniocerebral injuries in the earthquake group (60.6% vs. 77.9%, RR = 0.8), and the earthquake-injured patients had fewer fractures and intracranial injuries overall (1.5 + 0.9 vs. 2.5 +1.8; 1.3 + 0.5 vs. 2.1 + 1.1). Compared with the non-earthquake group, the incidences of soft tissue injuries and cranial fractures combined with intracranial injuries in the earthquake group were significantly lower (9.8% vs. 43.7%, RR = 0.2; 35.1% vs. 82.2%, RR = 0.4).


CONCLUSIONS
As depicted with computed tomography, the severity of earthquake-related head traumas in survivors was milder, and isolated extracranial injuries were more common in earthquake-related head traumas than in non-earthquake-related injuries, which may have been the result of different injury causes, mechanisms and settings.
Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. chuzg0815@163.com
Zhi-gang
ZG
Chu
Zhi-gang
ZG
Yang
Zhi-hui
ZH
Dong
Tian-wu
TW
Chen
Zhi-yu
ZY
Zhu
Heng
H
Shao
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D055815:Young Adult