Evaluating the Necessity and Radiation Risk of Brain CT Scans Requested by the Trauma Emergency Department.

Background: Numerous Computed Tomography (CT) scan requests for trauma patients have raised serious concern about the impacts of radiation such as radiation-induced cancers. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the necessity rate of requested head CT scans for traumatic patients and to ultimately estimate the risk of radiation-induced brain cancer. Material and Methods: In this retrospective analytical study, traumatic patients, who had undergone a head CT scan in a two-month period from August 23 to October 22, 2018, were considered as the study population. Two radiologists reviewed each patient individually to evaluate the rate of normal and abnormal cases. Dose length product in milligrays (mGy) was utilized to calculate the effective dose (ED) in millisieverts (mSv), resulting in an assessment of the risk of radiation-induced brain cancer using ICRP 103. Results: Among 523 scans, 460 patients (88%) received normal reviews, while only 47 patients (9%) had findings related to their current trauma. The mean effective dose value was 1.05±0.36 mSv. Risk of the radiation induced brain cancer was calculated to be 0.037 and 0.030 new cancer cases in 10000 males and females per Gy, respectively. Conclusion: Final results demonstrated that a significant number of traumatic patients undergoing a CT scan are in fact, healthy. Such reckless usage of CT and consequently the excess exposure could result in a dramatic rise in cancer rates. The need to limit unnecessary CT scan usage and keeping the radiation given to patients as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) when collecting essential diagnostic data is more critical than ever.

Design and Implementation of a Novel Double-Layered Wavy Mattress for the Prevention and Recovery of Pressure Ulcers: A Feasibility Study.

Pressure ulcers are a significant concern in patient care, particularly for those with limited mobility and extended hospital stays. Wavy mattresses are shown an effective tool for preventing or promoting the healing of these wounds by preventing pressure localization in different body regions. The current study aimed to present a novel double-layered wavy mattress design for the prevention and recovery of pressure ulcers, addressing some of the limitations of existing mattresses. The novel mattress includes double-layered cells, with the upper and lower layers, filled with water and air, respectively. The temperature of water in the cells can be manually adjusted to meet patients' needs, prevent skin sweating, regulate body temperature, and promote blood flow in areas susceptible to pressure ulcers. Patients who used this novel mattress during their hospitalization experienced a significantly shorter recovery period for bedsores compared to those who used other mattresses, showing that the novel wavy mattress is an effective tool for preventing and recovering from pressure ulcers in long-term hospitalized patients with limited mobility.