Impact of computed tomography on subdural hematoma. A population study

M. Garraway, R. Dickson, J. Whisnant and T. Turney

The Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn) medical record linkage and indexing system was used to examine the impact of computed tomography (CT) on the diagnostic investigation, management, and outcome of all cases of subdural hematoma (SDH) that occurred in Olmsted County, Minnesota, from 1965 through 1980. Comparisons were made between an eight-year period prior to the introduction of CT (1965 through 1972) and a similar period after CT became available in this community (1973 through 1980). The advent of CT did not change the treatment, course of the disease, or prognosis of SDH. However, the introduction of CT had a marked effect on the pattern of neurological investigations carried out. This resulted in a 15% reduction in the cost of diagnosing SDH in this community, while the overall cost of health care in the United States rose by 87% during the same period.