Abstract
Background
Electroencephalographic monitoring is being used with increasing frequency in critically ill children who may require frequent and sometimes urgent brain CT scans. Standard metallic disk EEG electrodes commonly produce substantial imaging artifact, and they must be removed and later reapplied when CT scans are indicated.
Objective
To determine whether conductive plastic electrodes caused artifact that limited CT interpretation.
Material and methods
We describe a retrospective cohort of 13 consecutive critically ill children who underwent 17 CT scans with conductive plastic electrodes during 1 year. CT images were evaluated by a pediatric neuroradiologist for artifact presence, type and severity.
Results
All CT scans had excellent quality images without artifact that impaired CT interpretation except for one scan in which improper wire placement resulted in artifact.
Conclusion
Conductive plastic electrodes do not cause artifact limiting CT scan interpretation and may be used in critically ill children to permit concurrent electroencephalographic monitoring and CT imaging.
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Acknowledgements
Dr. Abend is supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (K23NS076550).
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Abend, N.S., Dlugos, D.J., Zhu, X. et al. Utility of CT-compatible EEG electrodes in critically ill children. Pediatr Radiol 45, 714–718 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-3208-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-3208-5