title: Updated imaging of traumatic brain injury.
abstract: Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) play important roles in the evaluation of traumatic brain injury. Modern CT scanners allow for rapid and accurate diagnosis of intracranial hemorrhage and mass effect and allow the efficient implementation of emergent CT angiography. Newer sequences, such as gradient recalled echo, susceptibility-weighted imaging, and diffusion-weighted imaging, can provide greater sensitivity for specific types of diffuse posttraumatic brain injury. MR spectroscopy can provide additional chemical information, and diffusion tensor imaging can provide information about white matter injury. Patient treatment can be optimized using the diagnostic and prognostic information derived from current imaging techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, USA. wkubal@email.arizona.edu
authors.forename: Wayne S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Kubal
mesh_terms: D001929:Brain Edema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000293:injuries; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D004677:Encephalocele / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006407:Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed