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The use of handheld near-infrared device (Infrascanner) for detecting intracranial haemorrhages in children with minor head injury

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Abstract

Objective

A handheld device using near-infrared technology (Infrascanner) has shown good accuracy for detection of traumatic intracranial haemorrhages in adults. This study aims to determine the feasibility of use of Infrascanner in children with minor head injury (MHI) in the Emergency Department (ED). Secondary aim was to assess its potential usefulness to reduce CT scan rate.

Methods

Prospective pilot study conducted in two paediatric EDs, including children at high or intermediate risk for clinically important traumatic brain injury (ciTBI) according to the adapted PECARN rule in use. Completion of Infrascanner measurements and time to completion were recorded. Decision on CT scan and CT scan reporting were performed independently and blinded to Infrascanner results.

Results

Completion of the Infrascanner measurement was successfully achieved in 103 (94 %) of 110 patients enrolled, after a mean of 4.4 ± 2.9 min. A CT scan was performed in 18 (17.5 %) children. Only one had an intracranial haemorrhage that was correctly identified by the Infrascanner. The exploratory analysis showed a specificity of 93 % (95 % CI, 86.5–96.6) and a negative predictive value of 100 % (95 % CI, 81.6–100) for ciTBI. The use of Infrascanner would have led to avoid ten CT scan, reducing the CT scan rate by 58.8 %.

Conclusions

Infrascanner seems an easy-to-use tool for children presenting to the ED following a MHI, given the high completion rate and short time to completion. Our preliminary results suggest that Infrascanner is worthy of further investigation as a potential tool to decrease the CT scan rate in children with MHI.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Chiara Stefani, MD, and Giovanni Dei Tos, Medical Student for their contribution in patients’ enrolment and data collection. The authors thank Davide Pilotto and Gilberto Bottaro, from SEDA S.p.A., for training the study operators and for the assistance provided with the study device.

Conflict of interest statements

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. The authors have not received any financial support, salary or other personal benefits by SEDA S.p.A. for the present study and do not hold stock in the company. The Infrascanner devices and necessary equipment were provided free-of-charge by the distributor, SEDA S.p.A, for the purpose of this study.

Contributorship

SB conceived the idea of the study, searched the literature, interpreted the final results and drafted the manuscript. MD, FM, DD and FM substantially contributed to the study design, data collection and drafting of the manuscript. IPS substantially contributed by reviewing the literature, interpreting final results and critically reviewing the manuscript. LDD substantially contributed to the conception and design of the study, supervised study conduct, contributed to interpretation of final results and critically reviewed the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Woman’s and Child’s Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Silvia Bressan, Marco Daverio, Francesco Martinolli, Daniele Dona’, Federica Mario & Liviana Da Dalt

  2. Pediatric Unit, Ospedale Ca’ Foncello, Treviso, Italy

    Marco Daverio, Francesco Martinolli & Liviana Da Dalt

  3. Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

    Ivan P. Steiner

  4. Department of Woman’s and Child’s Health, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 3, 35128, Padova, Italy

    Silvia Bressan

Authors
  1. Silvia Bressan
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  2. Marco Daverio
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  3. Francesco Martinolli
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  4. Daniele Dona’
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  5. Federica Mario
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  6. Ivan P. Steiner
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  7. Liviana Da Dalt
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Silvia Bressan.

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Bressan, S., Daverio, M., Martinolli, F. et al. The use of handheld near-infrared device (Infrascanner) for detecting intracranial haemorrhages in children with minor head injury. Childs Nerv Syst 30, 477–484 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-013-2314-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-013-2314-2

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