RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 BET 2: does a normal CT scan within 6 h rule out subarachnoid haemorrhage?
JF Emergency Medicine Journal
JO Emerg Med J
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and the British Association for Accident & Emergency Medicine
SP 898
OP 899
DO 10.1136/emermed-2015-205330.2
VO 32
IS 11
A1 Chris Gray
A1 Bernard A Foëx
YR 2015
UL http://emj.bmj.com/content/32/11/898.abstract
AB A short cut review was carried out to establish whether a normal CT scan within 6 h of onset of a severe, sudden onset headache can be used to rule out a subarachnoid haemorrhage. Four studies were directly relevant to the question. The author, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes, results and study weaknesses of these papers are tabulated. The clinical bottom line is that a CT scan performed on a third generation scanner with thin slices, reported by a radiologist experienced in reporting CT brain scans, within 6 h of onset of the headache can be used to rule out a subarachnoid haemorrhage.