Investigation of Head Injury Mechanisms Using Neutral Density Technology and High-Speed Biplanar X-ray

The principal focus of this study was the measurement of relative brain motion with respect to the skull using a high-speed, biplanar x-ray system and neutral density targets (NDTs). A suspension fixture was used for testing of inverted, perfused, human cadaver heads. Each specimen was subjected to multiple tests, either struck at rest using a 152-mm-diameter padded impactor face, or stopped against an angled surface from steady-state motion. The impacts were to the frontal and occipital regions. An array of multiple NDTs was implanted in a double-column scheme of 5 and 6 targets, with 10 mm between targets in each column and 80 mm between columns. These columns were implanted in the temporoparietal and occipitoparietal regions. The impacts produced peak resultant accelerations of 10 to 150 g, and peak angular accelerations between 1000 and 8000 rad/s(2). For all but one test, the peak angular speeds ranged from 17 to 22 rad/s. The relative 3D displacements between the skull and the NDTs were analyzed. The localized motions of the brain generally followed loop or figure eight patterns, with peak displacements on the order of +/- 5 mm. These results can be used to further finite-element modeling efforts.