Head scanning during admission through the Accident and Emergency Department

In order to illustrate our current pattern of use, 50 patients were reviewed who were examined by computerized tomography (CT) of the head during admission through the Accident and Emergency (A & E) Department. Fourteen (28 per cent) had no history of head injury but exhibited diminished conscious level, epilepsy, headache, or hemiplegia. The 36 cases of head injury were analysed in order to see whether they met certain criteria proposed by other authors, and to suggest the advantage to be gained when CT was available in a district general hospital (with teaching status).