A clinical decision rule for cranial computed tomography in minor pediatric head trauma.

Objectives: To develop a sensitive clinical decision rule with a high negative predictive value for the use of cranial computed tomography (CT) in minor pediatric head trauma, to identify clinical features predictive of neurosurgical intervention, and to assess clinicians' predictive abilities to determine the presence or absence of intracranial injury based on history and physical examination alone.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Setting: Four level I pediatric trauma centers.