Imaging of traumatic brain injury

Abstract

The imaging evaluation of traumatic brain injury (TBI) has played an important role in determining the early diagnosis of traumatic intracranial injury, defining therapeutic medical or surgical emergency, subsequently assisting in monitoring therapy and allowing access to more accurate estimate of the patient’s prognosis. Computed tomography (CT) imaging is the method most appropriate to the patient in the initial care of TBI victim quickly detecting life-threatening injuries requiring immediate surgical treatment. The angiotomography (CTA) allows diagnosing craniocervical vascular lesions potentially serious. After clinical stabilization of these patients magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contributes to increased detection and better characterization of traumatic brain injuries and its possible complications such as cerebral herniation and ischemic lesions. In this article we will discuss the major primary and secondary traumatic cranioencephalic injuries and its main features on CT and MRI methods that provide important diagnostic and prognostic information in patients victims of TBI