Routine Head Computed Tomography for Patients in the Emergency Room with Trauma Requires Both Thick- and Thin-Slice Images
Background. Images of head CT for the supratentorial compartment are sometimes recommended to be reconstructed with a thickness of 8–10 mm to achieve lesion conspicuity. However, additional images of a thin slice may not be routinely provided for patients with trauma in the emergency room (ER). We i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2016-01-01
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| Series: | Emergency Medicine International |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/5781790 |
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| author | Kazuhide Maetani Jun Namiki Shokei Matsumoto Katsutoshi Matsunami Atsushi Narumi Toshimi Tsuneyoshi Masanobu Kishikawa |
| author_facet | Kazuhide Maetani Jun Namiki Shokei Matsumoto Katsutoshi Matsunami Atsushi Narumi Toshimi Tsuneyoshi Masanobu Kishikawa |
| author_sort | Kazuhide Maetani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background. Images of head CT for the supratentorial compartment are sometimes recommended to be reconstructed with a thickness of 8–10 mm to achieve lesion conspicuity. However, additional images of a thin slice may not be routinely provided for patients with trauma in the emergency room (ER). We investigated the diagnostic sensitivity of a head CT, where axial images were 10 mm thick slices, in cases of linear skull fractures. Methods. Two trauma surgeons retrospectively reviewed head CT with 10 mm slices and skull X-rays of patients admitted to the ER that were diagnosed with a linear skull fracture. All patients had undergone both head CT and skull X-rays (n=410). Result. The diagnostic sensitivity of head CT with a thickness of sequential 10 mm was 89% for all linear skull fractures but only 56% for horizontal fractures. This CT technique with 10 mm slices missed 6% of patients with linear skull fractures. False-negative diagnoses were significantly more frequent for older (≥55 years) than for young (<15 years) individuals (p=0.048). Conclusions. A routine head CT of the supratentorial region for patients in the ER with head injuries requires both thick-slice images to visualize cerebral hemispheres and thin-slice images to detect skull fractures of the cranial vault. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4d3c0ac2ee254c5081ee89583e95b5b2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2090-2840 2090-2859 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2016-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Emergency Medicine International |
| spelling | doaj-art-4d3c0ac2ee254c5081ee89583e95b5b22025-02-03T01:11:34ZengWileyEmergency Medicine International2090-28402090-28592016-01-01201610.1155/2016/57817905781790Routine Head Computed Tomography for Patients in the Emergency Room with Trauma Requires Both Thick- and Thin-Slice ImagesKazuhide Maetani0Jun Namiki1Shokei Matsumoto2Katsutoshi Matsunami3Atsushi Narumi4Toshimi Tsuneyoshi5Masanobu Kishikawa6Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, JapanDepartment of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, JapanDepartment of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Saiseikai Fukuoka General Hospital, 1-3-46 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka 810-0001, JapanDepartment of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Saiseikai Fukuoka General Hospital, 1-3-46 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka 810-0001, JapanDepartment of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Saiseikai Fukuoka General Hospital, 1-3-46 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka 810-0001, JapanDepartment of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Saiseikai Fukuoka General Hospital, 1-3-46 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka 810-0001, JapanDepartment of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Saiseikai Fukuoka General Hospital, 1-3-46 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka 810-0001, JapanBackground. Images of head CT for the supratentorial compartment are sometimes recommended to be reconstructed with a thickness of 8–10 mm to achieve lesion conspicuity. However, additional images of a thin slice may not be routinely provided for patients with trauma in the emergency room (ER). We investigated the diagnostic sensitivity of a head CT, where axial images were 10 mm thick slices, in cases of linear skull fractures. Methods. Two trauma surgeons retrospectively reviewed head CT with 10 mm slices and skull X-rays of patients admitted to the ER that were diagnosed with a linear skull fracture. All patients had undergone both head CT and skull X-rays (n=410). Result. The diagnostic sensitivity of head CT with a thickness of sequential 10 mm was 89% for all linear skull fractures but only 56% for horizontal fractures. This CT technique with 10 mm slices missed 6% of patients with linear skull fractures. False-negative diagnoses were significantly more frequent for older (≥55 years) than for young (<15 years) individuals (p=0.048). Conclusions. A routine head CT of the supratentorial region for patients in the ER with head injuries requires both thick-slice images to visualize cerebral hemispheres and thin-slice images to detect skull fractures of the cranial vault.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/5781790 |
| spellingShingle | Kazuhide Maetani Jun Namiki Shokei Matsumoto Katsutoshi Matsunami Atsushi Narumi Toshimi Tsuneyoshi Masanobu Kishikawa Routine Head Computed Tomography for Patients in the Emergency Room with Trauma Requires Both Thick- and Thin-Slice Images Emergency Medicine International |
| title | Routine Head Computed Tomography for Patients in the Emergency Room with Trauma Requires Both Thick- and Thin-Slice Images |
| title_full | Routine Head Computed Tomography for Patients in the Emergency Room with Trauma Requires Both Thick- and Thin-Slice Images |
| title_fullStr | Routine Head Computed Tomography for Patients in the Emergency Room with Trauma Requires Both Thick- and Thin-Slice Images |
| title_full_unstemmed | Routine Head Computed Tomography for Patients in the Emergency Room with Trauma Requires Both Thick- and Thin-Slice Images |
| title_short | Routine Head Computed Tomography for Patients in the Emergency Room with Trauma Requires Both Thick- and Thin-Slice Images |
| title_sort | routine head computed tomography for patients in the emergency room with trauma requires both thick and thin slice images |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/5781790 |
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