Utilisation and Outcome of Cranial CT Imaging in Older Adults Attending ED Following a Fall

Healthcare demand from falls in older adults is increasing, but guidance from the literature is lacking on the value of neuroimaging, particularly for those who have fallen but have no head injury or an unclear history. We carried out retrospective analysis of data from Emergency Department attendances at a large English hospital to assess compliance with guidelines and explore utility of CT scans for those not covered by existing guidance. Following a fall, 49% (577) of older adults received a cranial CT scan, 4.9% (28) of whom had an intracranial haemorrhage and only 2 received neurosurgical intervention. Only 59% who had a CT had a clear history of head injury, unwitnessed falls were common (71%) and there was a high prevalence of dementia (23%); those scanned without a clear history of head injury were significantly more frail, but not older. There was some indication that seizure, reduced GCS and neurological signs are predictive of intracranial haemorrhage regardless of head injury history, but further research is recommended to provide clarity on which groups stand to benefit most and how clinicians can be supported in decision making that balances diagnostic yield, patient benefit and imaging demand.