MDCT imaging of traumatic brain injury

Abstract

The aim of emergency imaging is to detect treatable lesions before secondary neurological damage occurs. CT plays a primary role in the acute setting of head trauma, allowing accurate detection of lesions requiring immediate neurosurgical treatment. CT is also accurate in detecting secondary injuries and is therefore essential in follow-up. This review discusses the main characteristics of primary and secondary brain injuries.

The role of Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in better delineating the extent of Diffuse Axonal Injury in a pediatric patient: A case report and brief review of the literature

“…Note also that the abnormal signal intensity with hyperintense lesions extends bilaterally far beyond the areas of abnormal signal on the FLAIR images(compare to 1a,b). Many years later, MCTC remains one of the commonest used prediction systems [5]. However, it exhibits limitations such as:…”

“…Diffuse brain injury, resulting from rapid accelerationdeceleration of the head, is more severe than focal injuries and includes DAI and diffuse brain edema. Diffuse brain injury is usually associated with the poorest outcome [4][5][6].…”

Image Quality Required for the Diagnosis of Skull Fractures Using Head CT: A Comparison of Conventional and Improved Reconstruction Kernels

“…Skull fractures are strongly associated with epidural hematoma in patients with acute head injuries. 1,8 Furthermore, the relationship between skull fractures and the development of a delayed epidural hematoma after the evacuation of a contralateral hematoma has also been reported. 9,10 Therefore, misdiagnosis of skull fracture because of poor image quality caused by the use of inadequate reconstruction kernels should be avoided.…”

“…In head CT, low-pass filter kernels that decrease higher spatial frequencies and noise are generally used to reconstruct brain images, whereas high-pass filter kernels that preserve higher spatial frequencies and increase noise are generally used to reconstruct bone images. 1,2 In all cases, the reconstruction of brain images is required. In contrast, according to the policy of each institution, bone images are reconstructed either in all cases or only for patients with clinically suspected bone disease.…”

Observer Performance in Computed Tomography Head Reporting

“…The Centre for Workforce Intelligence (CfWI) 5 describe the likely factors that influenced the increase of imaging was due to growing/aging populations, an escalation in cancer diagnosis and chronic illness, screening programmes, and extended working hours. For CT cranial imaging the growth of imaging has also risen due to endorsement by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 6,7 as the first line imaging of choice 8 due to being fast, non-invasive and the routine availability of CT.…”