Aspects tomodensitométriques des céphalées de l’adulte vues au Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Campus de Lomé, Togo

Introduction. The purpose of this work is to determine the causes of headache and their aspects in computed tomography (CT). Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study over a period of one year from 1 January to 31 December 2011 in the Radiology Department of the University Hospital and Medical Imaging Campus of Lome. Included were patients aged at least 16 years and who received a CT scan for headache. Other indications of cerebral CT were excluded. Results. During the study period, 1,160 brain CT were performed including 78 (6.7%) for headache. Clinically, the recent brutal headaches were found in 48.7% of cases (n=38) and progressive new headache in 29.5% of cases (n=23). The CT scan was normal in 35.9% (n=28), or in 13.1% (n=5) recent brutal headache, 21.7% (n=8) Recent progressive headache, 85.7 % (n=12) of cases of non-usual chronic headaches and 100% (n=3) cases of usual chronic headaches. The CT findings were represented by the subarachnoid hemorrhage in 11.5% (n=9), parenchymal bleeding in 11.5% (n=9), meningo-encephalitis in 11.5% (n=9), the facial sinusitis in 10.3% (n=8), the macro-pituitary adenoma in 7.7% (n=6), subdural hematoma in 7.7% (n=6) and hydrocephalus in 3.8% (n=3). Conclusion. This study shows that CT is usually normal in chronic headaches. The lesions found by CT - scan in acute headaches are dominated by subarachnoid hemorrhage and/or parenchymal.