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Traumatic cardiac arrest — DIPIMC MCQ

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HardPre-Hospital TraumaTraumatic cardiac arrestDIPIMCDipIMC

An adult taking warfarin has minor head injury. GCS is 15, there was no loss of consciousness or amnesia, and there is no vomiting, focal deficit or suspected skull fracture. What imaging plan is most consistent with NICE guidance?

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Correct answer: E — Consider CT head within 8 hours of injury

The best answer is “Consider CT head within 8 hours of injury”. For anticoagulated adults without another CT-head indication, NICE advises considering CT within eight hours of injury, or within one hour if presenting more than eight hours after injury. A one-hour CT is required for separate high-risk features. Normal GCS does not automatically remove anticoagulant-associated risk, and MRI is not the emergency first-line scan.

Reference: NICE NG232, Head injury: assessment and early management: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng232/chapter/Recommendations