News & Perspective
Drugs & Diseases
CME & Education
Academy
Video
Decision Point
Edition: English

Medscape

English
Deutsch
Español
Français
Português
UKNew

Univadis

Sign Up It's Free!
English Edition

Medscape

Univadis

    X
    Univadis from Medscape

    No Results

      News & Perspective Drugs & Diseases CME & Education Academy Video Decision Point
      Drugs & Diseases > Emergency Medicine

      Postconcussion Syndrome Workup

      Updated: Sep 24, 2018
      • Author: Eric L Legome, MD; Chief Editor: Trevor John Mills, MD, MPH  more...
      • Print
      Workup

      Laboratory Studies

      No specific laboratory studies are needed, unless concomitant illness is suspected or unless the diagnosis is unclear and believed to be of toxic or metabolic origin. While some newer studies have searched for evidence of specific proteins or biomarkers as predictive of PCS, there is no definitive correlations as of yet.

      Next:

      Imaging Studies

      Neurological examination and CT scan findings are frequently normal in patients with postconcussion syndrome; however, this does not confirm the absence of damage to the brain. Imaging modalities such as MRI, SPECT, and MEG have been shown to be more sensitive than CT at detecting brain injuries associated with PCS. These modalities have demonstrated an association between basal ganglia hypoperfusion and headaches, temporal lobe abnormalities and memory deficits, parietal lobe abnormalities and attention problems, and frontal lobe abnormalities and problems with executive function in patients with PCS. Interestingly, these imaging modalities have not born out associations between posttraumatic brain abnormalities and psychiatric symptoms in PCS.

      It has been hypothesized that axonal injury at the time of trauma could underlie PCS. Shear strain on the neurons that leads to diffuse axonal injury can occur without CT abnormalities. However, a recent study of a biomarker for axonal injury, serum cleaved tau (C-tau), showed no correlation between C-tau levels at the time of injury and the later development of PCS. [26] Studies looking at serum levels of S-100B, a protein found most commonly in astrocytes, in patients with minor head injury have found conflicting results regarding a correlation between initial levels of the protein and development of PCS. [27]

      In a study by Ramos-Zuniga et al, neuropsychological and spectroscopy testing confirmed the diagnosis of postconcussion syndrome in patients with mild head injury (MHI). According to the authors, spectroscopy revealed neurometabolite disturbances in 54% of cases, particularly N-acetylaspartate (Naa) and the Naa/lactate ratio in the frontal lobe. In addition, the authors noted that 55% of patients experienced physical disturbances such as headache and postural vertigo. [28]

      CT scanning is used to determine the presence of intracranial abnormalities and skull fractures. In young patients with no loss of consciousness and a normal neurologic examination, CT scanning is of very low yield and is unlikely to be positive. Patients with PCS usually do not present immediately after the trauma.

      If a CT scan has already been obtained, the utility of a repeat scan is minimal in the absence of focal neurologic signs or unless the patient is at risk for delayed hemorrhage (eg, an elderly patient on warfarin.)

      If a CT scan has not been obtained and if the patient had a loss of consciousness and a GCS of 15, the likelihood of finding an operable lesion is extremely limited. Unfortunately, these patients with symptoms and a normal examination may still harbor an injury that requires intervention. In general, a single head CT scan is still a reasonable, fast, and effective screening test in the significantly symptomatic patient, although it should be balanced by the risks of radiation, especially in children.

      MRI, SPECT, and positron emission tomography (PET) scans are more sensitive than CT scans in detecting abnormalities associated with minor head injury and PCS. [28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33]

      An MRI obtained in the acute period has little clinical significance. If one is obtained, it should be obtained on an outpatient basis in conjunction with follow-up. Although traumatic lesions may be depicted on MRIs in patients with minor head injury and a normal nonenhanced CT scan, they rarely influence the acute clinical course.

      Principal component analysis of diffusion tensor images (DTI) has been found to identify white matter injury patterns on DTI that correlate with clinically relevant symptoms in mild traumatic brain injury. [32]

      An MRI, SPECT, or PET scan obtained 4-24 months after injury may reveal a variety of abnormalities, though this rarely influences treatment or outcome.

      In a study of cerebral blood flow (CBF) measured by MRI in pediatric patients (8-18 yr) 40 days after mild traumatic brain injury, global CBF was higher in the symptomatic group and lower in the asymptomatic group compared with controls. [34]

      Previous
      Next:

      Other Tests

      Neuropsychological testing rarely is performed in the acute setting, although it may have some value in predicting the development of symptoms. A series of standardized tests and questionnaires are used to measure attention, language, memory, emotional functioning, and other neurobehavioral parameters.

      The Rivermead Postconcussion Symptoms Questionnaire is used to quantify postconcussion syndrome symptoms.

      Neuropsychological assessments may be used. These include the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and specific subtests (digit span and vocabulary), Trail Making Test, complex figure drawings (eg, Rey Osterreith), copy trials and memory trials, category tests, controlled oral word association (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task.

      The objective personality measure, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition (MMPI2), may be used.

      The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Impact of Even Scale, Galveston Orientation and Amnesia Test, and assessments of posttraumatic amnesia are used together as prognostic screening instruments for predicting PCS persistence.

      In an exploratory factor and confirmatory factor analysis of a 19-item Postconcussion Symptom Scale broken up into 3 factors (neurocognitive, somatic, emotional), patients seen more than 14 days after the concussion injury had worse factor 3 (emotional) scores than those seen less than 14 days after injury. Females and patients with anxiety disorders had significantly worse (higher) scores on all 3 factors. [35]

      Sport Concussion Assessment Tool version 3 (SCAT-3) is one of the most widely researched concussion assessment tools in athletes. The presence and frequency of posttraumatic headache are associated with the SCAT-3 symptom severity score, which is an important predictor of post-concussion recovery. [36, 37, 38, 39, 40]

      Previous
      Treatment & Management
       
       
      Media Gallery
      of 0
      Find Us On
      About
      About Medscape Privacy Policy Editorial Policy Cookies Terms of Use Advertising Policy Help Center
      Membership
      Become a Member About You Professional Information Newsletters & Alerts Market Research
      App
      Medscape
      WebMD Network
      Medscape Live Events WebMD MedicineNet eMedicineHealth RxList WebMD Corporate Medscape UK
      Editions
      English Deutsch Español Français Português UK
      All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2023 by WebMD LLC. This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.