Open AccessRATIONALISING THE NEED FOR CT HEAD SCANNING IN A DEFINED POPULATION
Author(s) -
Opit Louis J.,
Dunt David R.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
community health studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.946
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1753-6405
pISSN - 0314-9021
DOI - 10.1111/j.1753-6405.1979.tb00252.x
Subject(s) - brain scanning , medicine , hydrocephalus , population , head injury , head (geology) , scanner , dementia , radiology , nuclear medicine , surgery , pathology , computer science , environmental health , disease , geomorphology , artificial intelligence , geology
Summary A rationale is presented for estimating the optimal number of CT† head scanners in a defined population. It is derived from calculations of the appropriate number of scans likely to be generated by the clinical indications for scanning. These indications assume that competent specialist assessment of the patients prior to scanning has occured. The indications for head scanner use on present practice are cases of intracranial injury, intracerebral and sub‐arachnoid haemorrhage, epilepsy, dementia, intracranial neoplasm, hydrocephalus and other less common conditions under specified conditions. It is estimated that 2,690 – 2,830 scans per million of population will be generated annually and that one scanner could service this, with a realistic throughput of patients.