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HOW USEFUL IS THE SKULL X‐RAY EXAMINATION IN TRAUMA?
Author(s) -
Campo John,
Petty Peter G.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1980.tb100765.x
Subject(s) - skull , radiological weapon , skull fracture , medicine , foreign body , radiology , head trauma , clinical history , brain trauma , surgery , traumatic brain injury , psychiatry
Abnormalities were detected only in 24 (2.3%) of 1053 skull X‐ray examinations performed in cases of suspected head trauma, at a cost of $1461 per positive finding. Only in six cases (0.6%) was treatment influenced by the radiological findings. Skull X‐ray examination is indicated if a depressed fracture, compound fracture, or radio‐opaque foreign body is suspected, and these patients are reliably selected by certain clinical criteria. The skull X‐ray film is not a reliable guide to the presence or extent of intracranial injury, nor is it a substitute for careful clinical evaluation, observation and re‐evaluation. The medicolegal implications of this restrictive policy are discussed.

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