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Computed tomography brain scanning in alcohol withdrawal seizures. Value of the neurologic examination.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Feussner, JR; Linfors, EW; Blessing, CL; Starmer, CF
Published in: Annals of internal medicine
April 1981

We evaluated the usefulness of computed tomography (CT) brain scanning in alcoholic patients with withdrawal seizures (n = 151) and other neurologic problems (n = 87) and compared the findings of a detailed neurologic examination to the results of CT scanning. In patients with seizures, nearly 50% of CT scans were normal, 34% showed generalized cerebral atrophy, and only 15% showed focal structural lesions. When focal neurologic deficits were present, 30% of CT scans showed focal structural lesions compared to 6% when such deficits were absent (p less than 0.0002). The frequency of potentially reversible lesions was 18% in patients with and 1% in patients without focal neurologic deficits (p less than 0.0002). Of patients treated surgically, 9% had focal neurologic deficits and 1% did not (p less than 0.03). Results were similar in alcoholic patients with other neurologic problems. Careful use of the neurologic examination adequately determines which patients need prompt CT scanning. In the absence of either focal deficits on neurologic examination or signs of acute head trauma, CT brain scanning does not improve the evaluation of patients with alcohol withdrawal seizures.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Annals of internal medicine

DOI

EISSN

1539-3704

ISSN

0003-4819

Publication Date

April 1981

Volume

94

Issue

4 pt 1

Start / End Page

519 / 522

Related Subject Headings

  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Seizures
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Male
  • Humans
  • General & Internal Medicine
  • Evaluation Studies as Topic
  • Brain Diseases
  • Brain
  • Alcoholism
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Feussner, J. R., Linfors, E. W., Blessing, C. L., & Starmer, C. F. (1981). Computed tomography brain scanning in alcohol withdrawal seizures. Value of the neurologic examination. Annals of Internal Medicine, 94(4 pt 1), 519–522. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-94-4-519
Feussner, J. R., E. W. Linfors, C. L. Blessing, and C. F. Starmer. “Computed tomography brain scanning in alcohol withdrawal seizures. Value of the neurologic examination.Annals of Internal Medicine 94, no. 4 pt 1 (April 1981): 519–22. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-94-4-519.
Feussner JR, Linfors EW, Blessing CL, Starmer CF. Computed tomography brain scanning in alcohol withdrawal seizures. Value of the neurologic examination. Annals of internal medicine. 1981 Apr;94(4 pt 1):519–22.
Feussner, J. R., et al. “Computed tomography brain scanning in alcohol withdrawal seizures. Value of the neurologic examination.Annals of Internal Medicine, vol. 94, no. 4 pt 1, Apr. 1981, pp. 519–22. Epmc, doi:10.7326/0003-4819-94-4-519.
Feussner JR, Linfors EW, Blessing CL, Starmer CF. Computed tomography brain scanning in alcohol withdrawal seizures. Value of the neurologic examination. Annals of internal medicine. 1981 Apr;94(4 pt 1):519–522.

Published In

Annals of internal medicine

DOI

EISSN

1539-3704

ISSN

0003-4819

Publication Date

April 1981

Volume

94

Issue

4 pt 1

Start / End Page

519 / 522

Related Subject Headings

  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Seizures
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Male
  • Humans
  • General & Internal Medicine
  • Evaluation Studies as Topic
  • Brain Diseases
  • Brain
  • Alcoholism