Utilization Guidelines for Reducing Radiation Exposure in the Evaluation of Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Practice Quality Improvement Project

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to reduce the cumulative radiation exposure from CT of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.MATERIALS AND METHODS. Baseline data on 30 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage were collected retrospectively for all CT examinations of the head performed throughout the hospital course. Radiation exposure estimates were obtained by recording dose–length products for each examination. As a departmental practice quality improvement project, an imaging protocol was implemented that included utilization guidelines to reduce radiation exposure in CTA and CT perfusion examinations performed to detect vasospasm in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Ten months after implementation of this protocol, data on 30 additional patients were analyzed. Means, medians, and SD estimates were compared for cumulative radiation exposure and absolute numbers of each examination.RESULTS. Sixty patients were included in the study: 30 patients at baseline and...