Ifediora CO - Key characteristics of headaches examined through head imaging were identified, in order to strengthen the existing guidelines. Imaging for headaches revealed that significant intracranial findings were uncommon and magnetic resonance imagings (MRIs) offered no advantages over computed tomographies (CTs). No clear benefits were offered by repeating head scans within 5 years. Given the lesser chance of findings, psycho-morbidities ought to be considered while deciding the imaging needs.

Methods

• In order to investigate headaches among patients aged ≥18, this 7-year retrospective analysis of head imaging scans were performed in an Australian general practice setting.

Results

• One hundred and nine patients required head imaging among the 517 (21.1%) patients, although 14 (2.7%) of these had repeat scans.
• In this study, three-quarters were females, and most of the headaches were recurrent (56.9%), severe (62.4%) or had associated red flags (78.0%).
• The only scans adopted were CT and MRI (4:1 and 1:1 for first and repeat scans, respectively).
• With no difference in findings between diagnoses from CTs and MRIs (P=0.41), 12 (11.0%) scans had findings likely to explain the headaches after the initial scans.
• No additional benefits were noted with repeat scans, and roughly 1 in 3 patients were referred to third-party carers (mostly neurologists).
• Females were found to have more recurrent headaches (OR = 2.63; CI = 1.09-6.35; P=0.03).
• Patients with psycho-morbidities were less likely to have scan findings that explained their headaches (OR = 0.22; CI = 0.06–0.88; P=0.03).
• In additon, they were more likely to undergo imaging (OR = 1.47; CI 0.96–2.27; P=0.08), though not quite significant.