Computed tomography in brainstem hemorrhage

Seven of eight patients had a clinical diagnosis other than brainstem hemorrhage before computed tomography (CT). Four were diagnosed as infarction, one as intracerebral hemmorrhage, one as hypertensive encephalopathy, and one as subdural hematoma. All survived except one, who died of pulmonary embolus. Although the yeild of posterior fossa lesions on CT is thought to be small, our experience indicates that CT is exceedingly valuable in demonstrating and localizing brainstem hemorrhage. The prognosis of brainstem hemorrhage appears to be better than reported in the literature.