Roughly but not fool proof.
Age.
Point of impact
Injury
Symptoms
Medical history
You know what it’s easier to copy a guideline.
Adults
1.4.7 For adults who have sustained a head injury and have any of the following risk factors, perform a CT head scan within 1 hour of the risk factor being identified:
GCS less than 13 on initial assessment in the emergency department.
GCS less than 15 at 2 hours after the injury on assessment in the emergency department.
Suspected open or depressed skull fracture.
Any sign of basal skull fracture (haemotympanum, ‘panda’ eyes, cerebrospinal fluid leakage from the ear or nose, Battle’s sign).
Post-traumatic seizure.
Focal neurological deficit.
More than 1 episode of vomiting.
A provisional written radiology report should be made available within 1 hour of the scan being performed. [new 2014]
1.4.8 For adults with any of the following risk factors who have experienced some loss of consciousness or amnesia since the injury, perform a CT head scan within 8 hours of the head injury:
Age 65 years or older.
Any history of bleeding or clotting disorders.
Dangerous mechanism of injury (a pedestrian or cyclist struck by a motor vehicle, an occupant ejected from a motor vehicle or a fall from a height of greater than 1 metre or 5 stairs).
More than 30 minutes’ retrograde amnesia of events immediately before the head injury.
A provisional written radiology report should be made available within 1 hour of the scan being performed. [new 2014]
