CT Scans May Be Unnecessary for Certain Traumatic Brain Injury Patients: Study

Researchers have found that CT scans are not a significantly effective means of determining the severity of serious brain injuries.

New research suggests that utilizing a new head injury assessment protocol could reduce the number of unnecessary CT scans, by better identifying which patients face the greatest risk of complications from a traumatic brain injury.

According to findings published in the journal BCM Emergency Medicine late last year, most patients without a severe brain injury do not develop complications after 24 hours of hospital observation, indicating that the new protocol can help identify whether patients are at high or low risk of developing complications, allowing safe discharge with follow up via telemedicine, instead of exposing them to cranial CT scans.

Traumatic Brain Injury Long Term Side Effects

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when a person suffers a blow or jolt to the head.  Even minor impacts, like concussions, can cause lasting damage to the brain. The immediate effects of head trauma can vary and long-term side effects can be severe and permanent.

A growing body of research has been published in recent years, highlighting the long-term risks associated with brain traumas, especially when not properly treated after an injury.

A study published by the University of Pennsylvania found that suffering a concussion or TBI increases a person’s risk of having a stroke later in life. Those who suffered a head injury face a 34% increased risk of having a stroke within 10 years after the injury, the researchers found.

Other data indicates suffering a concussion increases the risk of developing brain tumors later in life. People who suffered TBIs had nearly a 70% higher risk of developing cancerous tumors compared to those who did not suffer a similar head injury.

More so, suffering concussions or similar injuries increase a person’s risk of developing dementia by nearly 70%. Older people who suffered head injuries earlier in life were more likely to have dementia after the age of 64.

For the new study, researchers from several academic institutes in Spain used an internally developed clinical prediction model called the Goliat score to determine which patients faced the greatest risk of complications after receiving a TBI. Led by Dr. Oriol Tuguero, the team said this protocol can be used by emergency room professionals to estimate the risk of acute complications in those who suffered minor and moderate brain injuries.

Non-severe trauma accounts for most ER visits. However, because many individuals don’t develop complications within 48 hours of injury, it can be difficult to determine who will develop complications in the long-term, the researchers noted.

The Goliat score was based on a study of adults with mild or moderate TBI treated in a hospital ER in Spain from June 2018 to December 2020. The study accounted for variables that could be examined within six hours such as age, history of high blood pressure, blood platelet count, systolic blood pressure, anticoagulant treatment, serum levels of the S100B protein, and high-risk clinical indicators like fluctuating GCS and pupil alterations.

Researchers said the Goliat score could predict the likelihood of neurological or cardiorespiratory complications and death in the first 48 hours following injury. Overall, 155 patients suffered complications, or roughly 30% of participants.

Using the tool could help reduce unnecessary radiation exposure from CT scans, the team noted. Researchers determined that the Goliat score also helped healthcare professionals make safer discharge decisions, especially for elderly individuals.

The team found that relying on CT scans did not significantly contribute to helping determine which injuries were more severe and a treatment priority. They further concluded that the findings could lead to improved early treatment by helping determine who is the most at risk of suffering complications from TBIs.

Sign up for more health and legal news that could affect you or your family.