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Cerebral Edema

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Critical Findings in Neuroradiology

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Abstract

Brain edema is a pathologic increase in the amount of brain water as a result of several etiologies, either cellular damage and ionic pump dysfunction, blood–brain barrier disruption, or increased transependymal flow from the intraventricular compartment to the brain parenchyma. Brain edema can have focal or global distribution.

Diagnostic imaging can help detect the onset or progression of edema in patients with worsening clinical condition. CT is the modality of choice as the initial study to evaluate injuries that may require intervention. MRI is very sensitive to detect edema and has excellent tissue contrast to detect underlying lesions and may be used when the cause of the edema is not readily apparent on CT.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Hahnemann University Hospital, Drexel University College of Medicine, 230 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA

    Juan Manuel González MD

  2. Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Universidad Católica de Chile, Luz larrain, 3946, Lo Barnechea, Santiago, Chile

    Florencia Alamos MD, PhD

  3. Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Ana Lorena Abello MD

Authors
  1. Juan Manuel González MD
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  2. Florencia Alamos MD, PhD
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  3. Ana Lorena Abello MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ana Lorena Abello MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Santa Casa de São Paulo, Division of Neuroradiology, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Renato Hoffmann Nunes

  2. Univer of North Carolina, Dep Radiology, Research Fellow in Neuroradiology, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

    Ana Lorena Abello

  3. Chief, Div Neurorad. Univ North Carolin, James H. Scatliff Distinguished Prof Rad, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

    Mauricio Castillo

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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González, J.M., Alamos, F., Abello, A.L. (2016). Cerebral Edema. In: Hoffmann Nunes, R., Abello, A., Castillo, M. (eds) Critical Findings in Neuroradiology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27987-9_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27987-9_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-27985-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-27987-9

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