
Abstract Objective: To evaluate the frequency and types of upper cervical spine injuries in asymptomatic elderly patients undergoing computed tomography (CT) for the investigation of minor head trauma. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study of 2613 asymptomatic elderly patients with minor head trauma seen between January 2015 and December 2016. We adopted a dedicated head CT protocol that included the C1-C2 region. Results: Of the 2613 patients analyzed, 33 (1.26%) had upper cervical spine injuries, corresponding to 8.37% of the 394 patients with trauma-related findings. Of those 33 patients, 6 had C1 fractures and 27 had C2 fractures. The use of 16- and 128-slice scanners increased the CT dose by 25.0% and 23.7%, respectively. Conclusion: Inclusion of the C1-C2 region in head CT scans allowed us to identify upper cervical spine injuries in 1.26% of asymptomatic elderly patients with minor head trauma. The protocol evaluated helps detect potentially life-threatening injuries and could be adopted for routine use in elderly individuals with minor head trauma.
Aged, 80 and over, Traumatismos da coluna vertebral/diagnóstico, Traumatismos craniocerebrais, Idoso, Craniocerebral trauma, Original Articles, Vértebras cervicais/lesões, Tomografia computadorizada, Idoso de 80 anos ou mais, Spinal injuries/diagnosis, Cervical vertebrae/injuries, Tomography, X-ray computed., Aged
Aged, 80 and over, Traumatismos da coluna vertebral/diagnóstico, Traumatismos craniocerebrais, Idoso, Craniocerebral trauma, Original Articles, Vértebras cervicais/lesões, Tomografia computadorizada, Idoso de 80 anos ou mais, Spinal injuries/diagnosis, Cervical vertebrae/injuries, Tomography, X-ray computed., Aged
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 7 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
