Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Studies have documented increased advanced radiography use in U.S. emergency departments (EDs) for injured patients over the past decade. The authors explored trends in recent years (2007 through 2010) in advanced radiography use, specifically head computed tomography (CT) and nonhead CT scans. ⋯ Advanced radiography use has continued to increase since 2007 in injured patients, and diagnostic yield for nonhead CT has continued to fall. Head CT is more common than CTs of other body areas and may represent an opportunity for reduction given validated clinical decision rules.