Head injuries in children and adults are common presentations to the emergency department. Minor head injury is characterized by: Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) 13-15, associated with either witnessed loss of consciousness, definite amnesia, or witnessed disorientation. Most adults and children with minor head injuries do not suffer from serious brain injuries that require hospitalization or surgery. CT head scans performed on patients without signs of significant injuries can expose patients to unnecessary ionizing radiation that has the potential to increase patients’ lifetime risk of cancer. They also increase length of stay and misdiagnosis. There is strong evidence that physicians should not order CT head scans for patients with minor head injury unless validated clinical decision rules suggest otherwise (i.e., Canadian CT head rule for adults, and CATCH or PECARN rules for children). Despite their validity, these rules are never 100% sensitive and are meant to assist and not replace, clinical judgement.

Conditions: Head Injuries

Diagnostic Tests: CT Scanning, Head or Brain Imaging

Tools: GCS, Canadian CT Head Rule for Adults, and CATCH or PECARN Rules for Children

Sources

• Easter JS, Bakes K, Dhaliwal J, Miller M, Caruso E, Haukoos JS. Comparison of PECARN, CATCH, and CHALICE rules for children with minor head injury: a prospective cohort study. Ann Emerg Med. 2014; 64(2):145-52, 152.e1-5. (PubMed)
• Osmond MH, Klassen TP, Wells GA, Correll R, Jarvis A, Joubert G, Bailey B, Chauvin-Kimoff L, Pusic M, McConnell D, Nijssen-Jordan C, Silver N, Taylor B, Stiell IG; Pediatric Emergency Research Canada (PERC) Head Injury Study Group. CATCH: a clinical decision rule for the use of computed tomography in children with minor head injury. CMAJ. 2010; 182(4):341-8. (PubMed)
• Stiell IG, Wells GA, Vandemheen K, Clement C, Lesiuk H, Laupacis A, McKnight RD, Verbeek R, Brison R, Cass D, Eisenhauer ME, Greenberg G, Worthington J. The Canadian CT Head Rule for patients with minor head injury. Lancet. 2001; 357(9266):1391-6. (PubMed)