title: Imaging of head trauma.
abstract: Imaging is an indispensable part of the initial assessment and subsequent management of patients with head trauma. Initially, it is important for diagnosing the extent of injury and the prompt recognition of treatable injuries to reduce mortality. Subsequently, imaging is useful in following the sequelae of trauma. In this chapter, we review indications for neuroimaging and typical computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols used in the evaluation of a patient with head trauma. We review the role of CT), the imaging modality of choice in the acute setting, and the role of MRI in the evaluation of patients with head trauma. We describe an organized and consistent approach to the interpretation of imaging of these patients. Important topics in head trauma, including fundamental concepts related to skull fractures, intracranial hemorrhage, parenchymal injury, penetrating trauma, cerebrovascular injuries, and secondary effects of trauma, are reviewed. The chapter concludes with advanced neuroimaging techniques for the evaluation of traumatic brain injury, including use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), functional MRI (fMRI), and MR spectroscopy (MRS), techniques which are still under development.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: srincon@mgh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rincon
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Neuroradiology and Cardiac Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Emergency Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ptak
mesh_terms: D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006257:Head / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D059906:Neuroimaging
keywords: cerebrovascular injury; diffuse axonal injury (DAI); dissection; epidural hematoma (EDH); extra-axial hemorrhage; head trauma; intracranial hemorrhage; skull fracture; subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH); subdural hematoma (SDH); traumatic brain injury