Contribution of CT-Scan in the Management of Traumatic Brain Injuries at the Sino-Guinean Friendship Hospital (HASIGUI)

Introduction: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a potentially life-threatening emergency, even in the absence of obvious clinical signs. Rapid assessment of the nature and extent of lesions is essential, and computed tomography (CT) remains the cornerstone imaging modality. This study aimed to assess the contribution of CT in the diagnostic evaluation of TBI at the Sino-Guinean Friendship Hospital (HASIGUI). Methods: This was an 18-month retrospective descriptive study conducted from January 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023. All patients managed for TBI who underwent a brain CT scan were included. Results: The hospital prevalence of TBI was 3.7%, with 63.5% meeting the inclusion criteria. The mean patient age was 36.9 years, and males were predominantly affected (sex ratio = 3.6). Motorbike riders and taxi-motor drivers constituted the most represented occupational category (31.8%), and most patients originated from Conakry (59.9%). Road traffic accidents were the leading cause of TBI (78.3%). The most common indications for CT were headache (94.6%) and impaired consciousness (75.2%). Frequent findings included: simple skull vault fractures (69.7%) and depressed skull fractures (24.2%), extradural hematomas (48.7%) and subdural hematomas (35.9%), oedemato-hemorrhagic contusions (51.9%) and intraparenchymal hematomas (25%). CT findings confirmed clinical hypotheses in 83% of cases, while 17% required diagnostic reassessment. Conclusion: Brain CT remains the first-line emergency imaging modality for TBI due to its availability, speed, and decisive role in guiding patient management.