Epidemio-clinical and CT-scan profile of adult headache disorders in a sub-Saharan Africa country

ABSTRACT

Objective: Given the little availability of MRI in sub-Saharan Africa, we carried out this study focusing on CT-scan in adult headache disorder, in order to determine epidemiological and clinical profile of adult patients undergoing CT-scan for headache disorder, and the organic pathologies discovered in sub-Saharan Africa.Method: We carried out a multicentric prospective cross-sectional study in medical imaging departments of Yaounde Central Hospital and Douala Laquintinie Hospital, which are two teaching hospitals in Cameroon. We consecutively and non-exhaustively included all consenting patients aged eighteen years or above, referred to radiology department to undergo a head CT-scan as aetiological workup of headache disorder, from either traumatic or non-traumatic mechanism. Patients with a Glasgow coma scale less than thirteen were excluded. We interviewed eligible patients, and performed a neurological examination and a complete physical examination before they underwent head CT-scan. The scanning was performed using a brand HITACHI ECLOS 16 slices CT-scan, in helical mode with or without contrast enhancement according to the clinical context. The reading was done by experimented radiologists