CT detection of minimal brain lesions in closed cerebral trauma

From the group of patients with clinically manifested closed head injuries, patients with minimal traumatic lesions in the brain parenchyma, were separated and in addition radiographically analyzed. There were 22 patients in the group. On plain CT scans they had foci 5 to 10 mm large caused by trauma. CT is suitable investigation technique for detecting minimal traumatic brain lesions. Besides, CT is suitable for the follow up of the lesion evolution dynamics, which comprises not only changes in the lesions density but also the possibility of registering primarily reversible but macroscopically (invisible) lesions into (visible) reversible lesions on the control scans. The finding of only one or two minimal lesions in critical locations in the "inner cerebral trauma" always indicated the existence of possible lesions in other locations within the known pattern of the ICT. Minimal traumatic lesions of the brain frequently occur in ICT or in all cases where the acceleration of traumatizing forces has anteroposterior or postero-anterior course of direction. Their recognition by neuroimaging methods is of great importance due to the central localization of the foci, which otherwise cannot be detected by other methods.