Overuse of computed tomography for mild head injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Maryam Saran, Morteza Arab-Zozani, Meysam Behzadifar, Mehrdad Gholami, Samad Azari, Nicola Luigi Bragazzi and Masoud Behzadifar

PLOS ONE, 2024, vol. 19, issue 1, 1-18

Abstract: Background: Computed tomography (CT) scan is a common imaging technique used to evaluate the severity of a head injury. The overuse of diagnostic interventions in the health system is a growing concern worldwide. Methods: Eligibility criteria: We encompassed observational studies—either designed as cohort, case-control, or cross-sectional investigations—that reported on CT scan overuse rates for mild head injuries. Studies had to be published in peer-reviewed, English-language sources and provide full content access Results: Included studies: Of the 913 potentially relevant studies identified, eight studies were selected for the final analysis. Conclusion: Limitations of evidence: The restricted number of included studies may impact generalizability. High heterogeneity was observed, leading to subgroup analyses based on age, assessment criteria, and study region. Absent data on overuse causes hinders drawing conclusions on contributing factors. Furthermore, this study solely addressed overuse rates, not associated harm or benefits. Trial registration: The study protocol of this review was registered in PROSPERO under the identification code CRD42023416080. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023416080.

Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0293558

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293558

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