CT Scans Only Necessary in Certain Circumstances? | Child Brain Injury Attorney

Many of the several thousand CT scans conducted per year on children who have suffered head injuries may be unnecessary, according to a new study described on the Brain and Spinal Cord website.  Although CT scans have been the traditional way to detect serious brain injuries in children and other head trauma victims, the new study asserts that several other methods for diagnosing brain injuries are more effective in many circumstances.  The research included a study of more than 42,000 children under the age of 19 who underwent different methods of detecting traumatic brain injury (TBI).  Of that group, about 15,000 children received CT scans, but less than 1,000 of those scans successfully detected signs of TBI, even though all the children in the study had been in accidents with serious impact to the head or sustained injuries bumping their heads.

What methods should be used to detect child brain injuries?  According to the article, performing DTI scans and monotoring NSE protein levels in the blood have proven successful in former studies in revealing the subtle brain damage that CT scans cannot detect.  These recommendations should not be misunderstood, however:  in some instances, a CT scan is absolutely necessary.  The new study defined six signs that indicate a CT scan should be conducted:  altered states of mind, unusual behavior, unconsciousness, headaches, vomiting, and signs of skull fracture.  Doctors were encouraged to find one of more of these indicators before sending a patient to a CT scan.

As an advocate for injured and abused children who have suffered brain damage, Chris Keane narrows his legal focus to representing children and only children.  Such a narrow focus has given him the opportunity and experience of working with the best medical experts in the field of child brain injury.  If you have questions regarding pediatric traumatic brain injury or child head injuries in general, contact Chris Keane online or at 888-592-KIDS for free answers and advice unique to your specific situation.