Table 4.

Guidelines for the Use of Neuroimaging in Psychiatric Patients

Abrupt (minutes) onset of symptoms

Change in level of consciousness or arousal

Deficits in the neurologic examination (with anatomic relation to the chief complaint)

Deficits in the cognitive examination (with anatomic relation to the chief complaint)

History of:

Head trauma (with loss of consciousness)

Whole-brain radiation

Neurologic comorbidities

Cancer

Late onset of symptoms (> 50 y)

Atypical presentation (to be determined on an individual basis)

First-break psychosis (to be determined on an individual basis)

Electroconvulsive therapy candidates (to be determined on an individual basis)