Computerized tomography (CT) in patients with head injuries. Assessment of outcome based upon initial clinical findings and initial CT scans.

In this study, which comprises 144 consecutive head injuries, the initial clinical assessment and the findings of the initial CT scan are related to the outcome. The mortality is related to the patient's level of consciousness and pupillary light reflex on admission. The disability rate (= number of disabled/number of survivors) was independent of the level of consciousness but closely related to pupillary light reaction. Diminished and obliterated basal cisterns were bad prognostic signs, with a mortality rate of 66% in the latter group. Both disability and mortality increase with the number of different lesion types.