The modified Memphis criteria are a set of screening criteria for blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) in trauma. The presence of one or more of these criteria makes necessary a complementary CTA or DSA study to exclude a BCVI.
The screening protocol criteria for BCVI are:
base of skull fracture with involvement of the carotid canal
base of skull fracture with involvement of petrous temporal bone
neurological exam findings not explained by neuroimaging
Le Fort II or III fracture pattern
neck soft tissue injury (e.g. seatbelt sign, hanging, hematoma)
Ciapetti et al. showed that a modification of the original Memphis criteria could increase the sensitivity of BCVI 1. If a trauma patient meets one or many of these criteria, the diagnosis of BCVI should be excluded with CTA or DSA. DSA is far more sensitive than 32-MDCT 2 but less available. However, a study retrospectively applying the criteria concluded that CTA should be performed on all multi-trauma patients for 37.5% of injuries would have been missed 3.
See also
Denver criteria of BCVI