Abstract
When computed tomography (CT) scanning is available, plain skull films contribute little or no additional information in the clinical management of the acute trauma patient. Traditionally, X-ray films of the skull have been used to detect skull fractures, intracranial mass effect (“pineal shift”), air-fluid levels, foreign objects (metal, glass, projectile fragments, etc.). However, the diagnostic yield of plain X-ray films is low because there is poor correlation between skull fractures and intracranial injury. The old saying has never been truer: “it doesn’t matter if the shell is cracked, only if the egg is scrambled”.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Suggested Reading
Armin SS, Colohan AR, Zhang JH (2006) Traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage: our current understanding and its evolution over the past half century. Neurol Res 28(4):445–452
Atzema C, Mower WR, Hoffman JR; National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study (NEXUS) II Group (2006) Prevalence and prognosis of traumatic intraventricular hemorrhage in patients with blunt head trauma. J Trauma 60(5):1010–1017
Duhaime AC, Durham S (2007) Traumatic brain injury in infants: the phenomenon of subdural hemorrhage with hemispheric hypodensity (“Big Black Brain”). Prog Brain Res 161:293–302
Fiser SM, Johnson SB, Fortune JB (1998) Resource utilization in traumatic brain injury: the role of magnetic resonance imaging. Am Surg 64(11):1088–1093
Gentry LR (2002) Head trauma. In: Atlas SW (ed) Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spine, 3rd edn. Lippincott-Raven, Philadelphia, pp 1059–1098
Gentry LR (ed) (1991) Current concepts in imaging of craniofacial trauma. Neuroimaging Clinics of North America. WB Saunders, Philadelphia
Ghysen D, Özsarlak Ö, van den Hauwe L et al (2000) Maxillo-facial trauma. J Belge Radiol/Belg Tijdschr Radiol (JBR/BTR) 83:181–192
Haydel MJ, Preston CA, Mills TJ et al (2000) Indications for computed tomography in patients with minor head injury. N Engl J Med 343:100–105
Kido DK, Cox C, Hamill RW et al (1992) Traumatic brain injuries: predictive usefulness of CT. Radiology 182:777–781
Lipper MH, Kishore PR, Girevendulis AK et al (1979) Delayed intracranial hematoma in patients with severe head injury. Radiology 133(3 Pt 1):645–649
Makkat S, Vandevenne JE, Parizel PM, De Schepper AM (2001) Multiple growing fractures and cerebral venous anomaly after penetrating injuries: delayed diagnosis in a battered child. Pediatr Radiol 31:381–383
Parizel PM, Ceulemans B, Laridon A, Jorens PG (2003) Cortical hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in shaken baby syndrome: value of diffusion-weighted MRI. Pediatr Radiol 33:868–871
Parizel PM, Makkat S, Jorens PG et al (2002) Brainstem hemorrhage in descending transtentorial herniation (Duret hemorrhage). Intensive Care Med 28(1):85–88
Parizel PM, Makkat S, Van Miert E et al (2001) Intracranial hemorrhage: principles of CT and MRI interpretation (review). Eur Radiol 11(9): 1770–1783
Parizel PM, Özsarlak Ö (1999) Imaging of craniocerebral trauma. European Society of Neuroradiology & Lasion Europe (CDROM teaching file containing 4000 images, part of the educational program of the European Society of Neuroradiology)
Parizel PM, Ozsarlak Ö, Van Goethem JW et al (1998) Imaging findings in diffuse axonal injury after closed head trauma. Eur Radiol 8(6):960–965
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer-Verlag Italia
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Parizel, P.M., Phillips, C.D. (2008). Neuroradiological Diagnosis of Craniocerebral Trauma: Current Concepts. In: Hodler, J., Von Schulthess, G.K., Zollikofer, C.L. (eds) Diseases of the Brain, Head & Neck, Spine. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-0840-3_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-0840-3_11
Publisher Name: Springer, Milano
Print ISBN: 978-88-470-0839-7
Online ISBN: 978-88-470-0840-3
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)