Head Imaging Guidelines

This policy covers advanced head imaging (MRI, CT, and nuclear medicine) for a wide range of cranial symptoms and conditions—including headache, seizures/epilepsy, head and facial trauma, stroke/aneurysm/AVM, CNS infections (including neuro‑COVID‑19), dementia, multiple sclerosis, movement and cranial nerve disorders (e.g., facial palsy, trigeminal neuralgia), Chiari/skull‑base malformations, papilledema, and pituitary disease. Major limitations require a documented pertinent clinical evaluation with a detailed neurological exam prior to advanced imaging (except specified scheduled follow‑ups), atypical presentations require physician review, CT head with contrast is only supported when MRI is contraindicated, and duplicate/overlapping studies are generally not supported.

"numbness (trigeminal distribution)"

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