CT head criteria

• CT head within 1 hour if:

  • GCS of 12 or less on initial assessment
  • GCS score of less than 15 at 2 hours post injury
  • Suspected open or depressed skull fracture
  • Any sign of basal skull fracture - hemotympanum, panda eyes, CSF leakage from ear or nose, battle's sign
  • Post-traumatic seizure
  • Focal neurological deficit
  • More than 1 episode of vomiting
• Do CT scan within 8 hours (or within 1 hour if presenting more than 8 hours after injury) in patients who have had LOC/amnesia and:

  • Age 65 or over
  • Any current bleeding or clotting disorders
  • Dangerous mechanism of injury
  • More than 30 minutes retrograde amnesia of events immediately before the head injury