Head CT in centenarians: emergency and non-emergency findings

Introduction Our retrospective study evaluates head CTs performed in our Hospital in the last 11 years (2009-2019) in centenarian patients. Objectives To estimate the correlation between reasons for examination and CT findings in emergency and to evaluate if there was the expected involution of the brain by analyzing some non-emergency neuroradiological parameters (NENP). Material and methods 62 Head CTs performed on patients aged 100 and over were reviewed. They were evaluated emergency CT findings and NENP (leukoencephalopathy, enlargement of the ventricular volume, presence of vascular calcifications). For comparison, NENP were also assessed in two relatively younger populations of 62 patients aged between 65-70 (called 65-70) and 85-90 (85-90). Results In cases of suspected traumatic brain lesions, 11.9% (n = 5/42) of centenarians showed a cerebral bleeding; as concerns suspected stroke we found a higher concordance between clinical suspicion and CT features, 46.6% (n = 7/15). As regards NENP, no significant differences were found with respect to the 85-90 population in terms of severity of leukoencephalopathy, enlargement of the ventricular volume and presence of vascular calcifications. Conclusions In emergency, CT plays a pivotal role in defining an immediate diagnosis and from a medico-legal point of view, resulting together with clinical observation the main strategy in the management of centenarians. By the analysis of NENP we may support that centenarians' brains on CT are similar to those of 85-90.

Automated summary

The retrospective study evaluates head CTs of centenarian patients in the last 11 years in the Hospital. The study found that CT plays a crucial role in emergency situations and the analysis of NENP suggests that the brains of centenarians on CT are similar to those of patients aged 85-90.