Anesthetic considerations for cerebral computer tomography

Cerebral computer tomography is a recently introduced neuroradiologic procedure involving tomographic x-rays of horizontal brain sections. Although most adults undergo the procedure without anesthesia, children and uncooperative adults must be given general anesthesia for absolute immobility. Of 84 procedures under general anesthesia, 10 employed ketamine, 6 used oral chloral hydrate; 60, endotracheal anesthesia enflurane or halothane; 7 used combinations of various sedatives. One was performed with local anesthesia standby. Ketamine and heavy sedation were found to be totally unsatisfactory because of airway problems and unpredicatability of motion, which produced image artifacts. General endotracheal anesthesia with either halothane or enflurane in N2O-O2 was found most satisfactory because of better control of airway and prevention of motion.