Utility of Head CT Scan for Acute Inpatient Delirium. Hosp Top 2015;93(1):9-12
Date
04/04/2015Pubmed ID
25839350DOI
10.1080/00185868.2015.1012928Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84944146770 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 14 CitationsAbstract
 Delirium is a common occurrence in hospitalized patients, especially in the geriatric age group. Data was retrospectively reviewed for patients who developed delirium during hospitalization. Acute intracranial changes on imaging were noted only in four patients (11%) and all had preimaging clinical symptoms and signs, which warranted imaging. Imaging should be considered only in the presence of head injury, fall, history of anticoagulation, focal neurological signs, fever, and raised intracranial pressure. Development of more clear guidelines will result in decreased ordering of unnecessary neuroimaging, substantial cost savings, and less radiation exposure for patients.
Author List
Vijayakrishnan R, Ramasubramanian A, Dhand SAuthors
Aparna Ramasubramanian MD Associate Professor in the Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences department at Medical College of WisconsinRajakrishnan Vijayakrishnan MD Associate Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultAged
Aged, 80 and over
Delirium
Female
Hospitalization
Humans
Male
Massachusetts
Medical Audit
Middle Aged
Retrospective Studies
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
