Is Cervical CT Imaging Justified along with CT Head in Traumatic Head Injury Patients?

Background: In traumatic injury patients, mild cervical spine lesions are usually overlooked as a simultaneous damage to other body areas. An accurate and early diagnosis is necessary to prevent subsequent neurological damage in these patients. Objective: To identify associated cervical spinal injuries in head-injured patients and justify the routine use of cervical CT scans in head trauma cases to prevent missed diagnoses and ensure early intervention for better patient outcomes. Methodology: This retrospective review was conducted in the Department of Radiology at Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi, analyzing records from January to July 2024. Records of 197 trauma patients who had undergone CT scans for head injuries and had positive CT head findings were retrieved. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 27. Results: The current study analyzed 197 patients in total, of whom 80% were men and 20% were women. Among them, 47.2% were between 20 and 40 years old. Of the 197 patients, 87.3% had been involved in a traffic accident, with 5.8% patients had concurrent cervical spine injury. 10.6% of the patients in our study had concurrent C spine injuries. Concurrent C-spine injuries were also observed in 18.6% and 9.7% patients with contusions and diffuse axonal injury, respectively. Conclusion: Our study highlights a considerable incidence of cervical spine injuries (CSI) in traumatic brain injury patients, often concomitant with contusions, subdural hematomas, and subarachnoid hemorrhages. These findings underscore the importance of concurrent cervical imaging with CT head to ensure timely diagnosis and management of CSI.