title: Pan-body computed tomographic scanning for patients with intracranial hemorrhage after low-energy falls.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We sought to determine if a liberal policy of pan-body computerized tomography (CT) scanning was useful in patients with intracranial hemorrhage after low falls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with intracranial hemorrhage after low falls, with a Glasgow Coma Score of greater than or equal to 14 and systolic blood pressure of greater than 100 mm Hg, were included. The primary outcome was any torso or spine injury requiring surgical or radiologic intervention. The secondary outcome was any torso or spine injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 365 patients, 71% underwent pan-body CT. Eight (2%) patients had a primary outcome and 66 (18%) a secondary outcome. Only signs and symptoms of cervical injury were associated with a cervical-related outcome (4/23 vs 3/316, P = .005). Only signs and symptoms of torso injury were associated with a torso-related outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A liberal policy of pan-body CT in these patients is of low yield. Signs and symptoms of trauma should dictate the judicious use of CT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Trauma/Critical Care, Reading Hospital, Sixth Avenue and Spruce Street, West Reading, PA 19611, USA. Electronic address: Adrian.ong@readinghealth.org.
authors.forename: Adrian W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Trauma/Critical Care, Reading Hospital, Sixth Avenue and Spruce Street, West Reading, PA 19611, USA.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Castor
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Trauma/Critical Care, Reading Hospital, Sixth Avenue and Spruce Street, West Reading, PA 19611, USA.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Figueredo
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Trauma/Critical Care, Reading Hospital, Sixth Avenue and Spruce Street, West Reading, PA 19611, USA.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Trauma/Critical Care, Reading Hospital, Sixth Avenue and Spruce Street, West Reading, PA 19611, USA.
authors.forename: Forrest
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernandez
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014193:Trauma Centers; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D051598:Whole Body Imaging / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Computerized tomography; Falls; Traumatic intracranial hemorrhage