Document Detail


Head Computed Tomography Scanning During Pediatric Neurocritical Care: Diagnostic Yield and the Utility of Portable Studies.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  21935725     Owner:  NLM     Status:  Publisher    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: We report our use of portable head computed tomography (CT) and the diagnostic yield and radiation dose from head CT in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). METHODS: 204 PICU patients underwent head CT during 2008-2009. Therapeutic interventions and resource intensity during CT were categorized. Severity of illness was summarized using the pediatric risk of mortality (PRISM-III) model. Estimates of patient radiation dose were based on dose measurements made in four anthropomorphic head phantoms. RESULTS: 242 (62%) out of 391 head CT studies were portable. New pathology was identified on 80 (40%) scans. CT findings prompted a change in management in 46 (23%) patients; 25 of these resulted in life-extending treatments and 21 had forgoing of life-sustaining treatments within 24 hours. 26 patients with PRISM score greater than 30% underwent CT; 23 (88%) of these were portable. More portable versus fixed examinations were performed in patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, inhaled nitric oxide, high levels of positive end expiratory pressure, and those with high vasopressor scores (P < 0.05). Estimated patient dose from portable CT was 83 ± 6 mGy compared to 72 + 5 mGy for patients imaged on a fixed scanner (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Two-thirds of CT scans obtained in the PICU were portable because of patients' intensity of therapy and illness severity. Portable CT showed major new pathology in greater than 1/3 and led to a change in management in 1/4 of higher acuity patients scanned. The estimated radiation dose from portable CT is within the current national guidelines.
Authors:
Kerri L Larovere; Molly S Brett; Robert C Tasker; Keith J Strauss; Jeffrey P Burns;
Related Documents :
17415165 - Comparison of two techniques to postoperatively localize the electrode contacts used fo...
22016775 - Safety and clinical outcome of thrombolysis in ischaemic stroke using a perfusion ct mi...
17879775 - Direct validation of atlas-based red nucleus identification for functional radiosurgery.
22033725 - Quality control in neuroradiology: discrepancies in image interpretation among academic...
10050815 - Ferumoxide-enhanced mri of sideronecrosis superimposed on genetic hemochromatosis.
2171085 - Palmar hyperhidrosis ct guided chemical percutaneous thoracic sympathectomy.
Publication Detail:
Type:  JOURNAL ARTICLE     Date:  2011-9-21
Journal Detail:
Title:  Neurocritical care     Volume:  -     ISSN:  1556-0961     ISO Abbreviation:  -     Publication Date:  2011 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2011-9-21     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101156086     Medline TA:  Neurocrit Care     Country:  -    
Other Details:
Languages:  ENG     Pagination:  -     Citation Subset:  -    
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital Boston, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA, kerri.larovere@childrens.harvard.edu.
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Women's Health Promotion in the Rural Church: A Canadian Perspective.
Next Document:  Morning stiffness of the joints is the sole predictor of short-term response to glucocorticoid treat...