Neuropsychological outcome and quantitative neuroimaging in mild head injury

Four cases of well-documented mild traumatic brain injury (Glasgow Coma scores > or = 13) in whom preinjury neuroimaging studies were available (three with computerized tomography and one with magnetic resonance [MR] imaging) were examined in terms of postinjury MR imaging and neuropsychological outcome. All scans were subjected to quantitative analysis by measuring ventricular volumes and calculating a ventricle-to-brain ratio. Since ventricular measurements provide an index of parenchymal integrity, any systematic increase in postinjury ventricle size would be an indication of tissue loss. In addition to using the preinjury scan for a within-subject design in comparing postinjury changes, similar MR measures were obtained on a group of medical controls. Despite neuropsychological findings that suggested significant sequelae, quantitative postinjury MR studies did not show differences between preinjury neuroimaging or medical control subjects.