Watchful Waiting Results in Less CT Scans for Concussions |
May 13, 2011-- Emergency department physicians who order a CT scan for concussed pediatric patients before allowing time for symptoms to subside, may be exposing young brains to an increased risk of radiation unnecessarily, according to the LA Times. A new study in the journal Pediatrics found:
... researchers reviewed the clinical records of some 40,000 children brought to 25 different emergency rooms across the country with suspected brain injury.
These children were generally alert, but may have lost consciousness briefly, become disoriented, vomited or complained of headache or dizziness.
In
such
cases,
physicians'
practices
varied
widely:
Some
participating
doctors
immediately
ordered
CT
scans
in
93%
of
such
cases;
others
did
so
in
71%
of
such
instances.
And children in this watchful-waiting group were no more likely to develop dangerous post-concussion complications than were kids who were sent immediately to get a CT scan.
For every 1,000 children being assessed for traumatic brain injury, a period of observation before a decision is made on CT scan could result in 39 fewer such scans--and a lot less radiation for some--the researchers estimated.
Children's brains are more susceptible to the effects of radiation and they have longer lifespans which can result in higher overall accumulations.
Researchers did not elaborate on the period of time that a concussed child should be observed before being sent home. |
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