Minor Blunt Head-Injury Rules: Which Is the Winner?

Researchers prospectively validated and compared two rules currently used for determining the need for head computed tomography in patients with minor closed head injury: the New Orleans Criteria (NOC) and the Canadian CT Head Rule (CCHR).

The two rules use different criteria for defining minor head injury: The NOC definition requires a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 15, loss of consciousness, and no neurologic deficit, whereas the CCHR definition requires a GCS score of 13 to 15, loss of consciousness, no neurologic deficit, no seizure, no anticoagulation, and age older than 16.

The rules also use different criteria for defining CT need for patients with minor head injury. According to the NOC, CT is required only for patients who have any of s…