Biomaterial Database

Indications and benefits of computed tomography in childhood bacterial meningitis. 1998

A S Daoud, and H Omari, and M al-Sheyyab, and F Abuekteish

Department of Pediatrics, Jordan University of Science & Technology, Irbid, Jordan.

Over a 5 year period, 58 children with acute bacterial meningitis underwent computed tomography (CT) of the head. The major stated indications were partial, complex, or prolonged seizures in children younger than 5 years (60 per cent) and prolonged fever in the case of those older than 5 years (60 per cent). Abnormal findings on CT scan were seen in 27 (47 per cent); the remaining 31 (53 per cent) patients had normal or only non-specific dilatation of spaces containing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or basilar enhancement. The commonest CT abnormalities were seen in those patients who presented with complex seizure disorders. The commonest abnormal findings were subdural collection (33 per cent) followed by hydrocephalus (7 per cent). Subdural collection was seen mainly in patients with Haemophilus influenzae bacterial meningitis (90 per cent) while hydrocephalus was mainly seen in tuberculous meningitis. Positive findings of obvious therapeutic clinical relevance were present in only six cases (10 per cent). From the study we concluded that head CT provides an accurate means of diagnosing intracranial complications of bacterial meningitis, but it must be used conservatively as it has limited therapeutic applications in children with complicated bacterial meningitis. Computed tomography is indicated mainly in children with persistent neurologic dysfunction like complex seizure disorder, and is of little value in children with prolonged fever alone.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D007597	Jordan	A country in the MIDDLE EAST, northwest of Saudi Arabia, between Israel and Iraq. The capital is Amman.
D008297	Male		Males
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D003906	Developing Countries	Countries in the process of change with economic growth, that is, an increase in production, per capita consumption, and income. The process of economic growth involves better utilization of natural and human resources, which results in a change in the social, political, and economic structures.	LMICs,Less-Developed Countries,Low Income Countries,Low and Middle Income Countries,Lower-Middle-Income Country,Middle Income Countries,Third-World Countries,Under-Developed Countries,Developing Nations,Least Developed Countries,Less-Developed Nations,Third-World Nations,Under-Developed Nations,Countries, Middle Income,Countries, Third-World,Country, Least Developed,Country, Less-Developed,Country, Low Income,Country, Lower-Middle-Income,Country, Middle Income,Country, Third-World,Country, Under-Developed,Developed Country, Least,Developing Country,Developing Nation,Least Developed Country,Less Developed Countries,Less Developed Nations,Less-Developed Country,Less-Developed Nation,Low Income Country,Lower Middle Income Country,Lower-Middle-Income Countries,Middle Income Country,Nation, Less-Developed,Nation, Third-World,Nation, Under-Developed,Third World Countries,Third World Nations,Third-World Country,Third-World Nation,Under Developed Countries,Under Developed Nations,Under-Developed Country,Under-Developed Nation
D005260	Female		Females
D005334	Fever	An abnormal elevation of body temperature, usually as a result of a pathologic process.	Pyrexia,Fevers,Pyrexias
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D006849	Hydrocephalus	Excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the cranium which may be associated with dilation of cerebral ventricles, INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION; HEADACHE; lethargy; URINARY INCONTINENCE; and ATAXIA.	Communicating Hydrocephalus,Congenital Hydrocephalus,Obstructive Hydrocephalus,Post-Traumatic Hydrocephalus,Aqueductal Stenosis,Cerebral Ventriculomegaly,Fetal Cerebral Ventriculomegaly,Hydrocephalus Ex-Vacuo,Hydrocephaly,Aqueductal Stenoses,Cerebral Ventriculomegalies,Cerebral Ventriculomegalies, Fetal,Cerebral Ventriculomegaly, Fetal,Fetal Cerebral Ventriculomegalies,Hydrocephalus Ex Vacuo,Hydrocephalus Ex-Vacuos,Hydrocephalus, Communicating,Hydrocephalus, Congenital,Hydrocephalus, Obstructive,Hydrocephalus, Post-Traumatic,Post Traumatic Hydrocephalus,Stenoses, Aqueductal,Stenosis, Aqueductal,Ventriculomegalies, Cerebral,Ventriculomegalies, Fetal Cerebral,Ventriculomegaly, Cerebral,Ventriculomegaly, Fetal Cerebral