Evolving brain lesions in the follow-up CT scans 12 h after traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Objective: To establish the frequency of evolution in CT appearance from an initial scan to a subsequent scan within 12 h and the prognostic significance of such deterioration. Methods: All patients who presented to Department of Neurosurgery, Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College with traumatic brain injury and received their CT scan within the first 4 h of injury were included in the study. Indications for repeat CT scan were: any deterioration in neurological status after the initial scan, potentially deteriorating lesion on initial scan with or without worsening neurology, worsening neurological status after the initial CT scan findings, or no neurological improvement after initial management in patients with normal CT scan with significant head injury. This compiled with the data of 107 patients. Results: There were 67 males and 40 females. The cause of trauma of the 70% patients was road traffic accident. In 11 patients, the lesion evolved towards resorption while 32 patients had no significant changes in the subsequent CT scan. Sixty four patients showed an increase in the size of the lesion and 65.6% of them were required surgical intervention subsequently. Conclusions: In case where the initial CT scan performed within 4 h of significant head injury was not correlated with the patient's neurology, it should be repeated within 12 h.

Keywords

• Evolving brain lesion
• Progressive hemorrhagic injury
• Repeat CT scan
• Traumatic brain injury
• Craniotomy