What question did this study set out to answer?

To determine the necessity of CT head scans in patients with cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy presenting to the ED.

April 15, 2026

Are CT head scans justified in patients with cirrhosis presenting to the ED with hepatic encephalopathy?

Key Points

To determine the necessity of CT head scans in patients with cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy presenting to the ED.
Retrospective audit of patients with cirrhosis and altered mental status
Data collected over a 2-year period
Analysis of CT head scan outcomes
37% of CT head scans performed were unnecessary
No abnormalities found in these cases
Suggests limiting CT use to lower radiation exposure and costs

Abstract

Abstract Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a neuropsychiatric complication of liver disease. Our retrospective audit of patients with cirrhosis presenting to the emergency department (ED) over a 2‐year period with altered mental status found that 37% of computed tomography (CT) head scans were performed unnecessarily, yielding no abnormalities. Findings support limiting CT use in low‐risk cases to reduce radiation exposure, ED duration and healthcare costs.

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Discussion

Authors

Vivienne Nguyen

Hakan Yaman

Briohny Smith

Journals

Internal Medicine Journal

Actions

Institutions

The University of Western Australia

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital

References and Citations

Connected Papers

Building similarity graph...

Analyzing shared references across papers

Are CT head scans justified in patients with cirrhosis presenting to the ED with hepatic encephalopathy?

Key Points

Abstract

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

Authors

Journals

Actions

Institutions

References and Citations

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

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