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4 - Approach to Investigations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 October 2017

By
Meir H. Scheinfeld  and
Benjamin W. Friedman
Edited by
Serena L. Orr ,
Benjamin W. Friedman  and
David W. Dodick
Serena L. Orr
Affiliation:
Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa
Benjamin W. Friedman
Affiliation:
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York
David W. Dodick
Affiliation:
Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ
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Summary

Abstract

A variety of testing modalities are available in the emergency department (ED) to enable diagnosis of headache. For an emergency care provider, the goal is to order those tests that will facilitate diagnosis in a timely manner, without burdening the patient and healthcare system with unnecessary tests, particularly those tests that are time-consuming, uncomfortable, or expensive. Available diagnostic tests include analyses of blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), as well as a variety of neuroimaging modalities. In this chapter, we discuss the utility, indication, and best practice with regard to the many tests commonly available in an ED.

Type
Chapter
Information
Emergency Headache
Diagnosis and Management
 , pp. 26 - 42
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2017

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