eMedicine Specialties > Radiology > Brain/Spine

Brain, Contusion: Follow-up

Author: Denise Morales, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Institute of MI
Coauthor(s): Orlando Diaz-Daza, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology, Ben Taub General Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine; Roman Hlatky, MD, Assistant Professor, Center for Neurosurgical Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center; L Anne Hayman, MD, Director of Herbert J Frensley Center for Imaging Research, Professor, Departments of Radiology, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Apr 3, 2007

Intervention

No radiologic interventions exist.

Surgical resection of contused brain tissue is indicated when the patient has brain swelling that increases the intracranial pressure above an acceptable degree. Above this level, increased pressure threatens to diminish cerebral perfusion of the remaining viable brain tissue.

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Potentially, initial CT scan can fail to reveal a contusion that is revealed on subsequent scans.
  • The clinician bears the responsibility for ordering follow-up scans to better estimate the extent of injury.

Special Concerns

  • Patients with bleeding disorders (eg, patients receiving anticoagulant agents or patients with disseminated intravascular coagulopathy or liver disease) or platelet disorders present a special concern.
  • High blood alcohol content is associated with increased morbidity.
 


More on Brain, Contusion

Overview: Brain, Contusion
Imaging: Brain, Contusion
Follow-up: Brain, Contusion
Multimedia: Brain, Contusion
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

brain injury, acute traumatic CNS damage, central nervous system injury, head trauma, head injury, skull injury, skull fracture, facial injury, facial soft tissue injury, cranial soft tissue injury, cranial fracture, concussion, brain hemorrhage, cranial contusion, laceration of the brain, punctate parenchymal hemorrhage, microhemorrhage, traumatic brain injury, TBI, coup contusion, contrecoup contusion, brain contusion, scalp hematoma

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Denise Morales, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Institute of MI
Denise Morales, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Orlando Diaz-Daza, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology, Ben Taub General Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine
Orlando Diaz-Daza, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Roman Hlatky, MD, Assistant Professor, Center for Neurosurgical Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center
Roman Hlatky, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Congress of Neurological Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

L Anne Hayman, MD, Director of Herbert J Frensley Center for Imaging Research, Professor, Departments of Radiology, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine
L Anne Hayman, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Heart Association, American Society of Neuroradiology, and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Chi-Shing Zee, MD, Chief of Neuroradiology, Professor, Departments of Radiology and Neurosurgery, University of Southern California School of Medicine
Chi-Shing Zee, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Neuroradiology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Bernard D Coombs, MB, ChB, PhD, Consulting Staff, Department of Specialist Rehabilitation Services, Hutt Valley District Health Board, New Zealand
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Robert L DeLaPaz, MD, Director, Professor, Department of Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology, Columbia University
Robert L DeLaPaz, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Neuroradiology, Association of University Radiologists, and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Robert M Krasny, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Radiology, The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute
Robert M Krasny, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Roentgen Ray Society and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

James G Smirniotopoulos, MD, Professor of Radiology, Neurology, and Biomedical Informatics, Chairman, Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
James G Smirniotopoulos, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Radiology, American Roentgen Ray Society, American Society of Head and Neck Radiology, American Society of Neuroradiology, American Society of Pediatric Neuroradiology, Association of University Radiologists, and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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