Articles
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51 results found
Article
Canadian CT head rule
The Canadian CT head rule (CCTHR) is a validated clinical decision rule to determine the need for CT head in adult emergency department patients with minor head injuries.
Inclusion criteria
Patient has suffered minor head trauma with resultant:
loss of consciousness
GCS 13-15
confusion
amn...
Article
Head ultrasound
Head ultrasound (HUS), also called cranial ultrasound (CUS), is obtained for the diagnosis and follow-up of premature and sick neonates.
Advantages
Head ultrasound has the advantages of:
accessibility
mobility, i.e. bedside scanning at the NICU and neonatal ward
requiring no sedation
enabl...
Article
Medial temporal lobe atrophy score
The medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA) score, also known as Scheltens' scale, is useful in distinguishing patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease from those without impairment 2 is helpful in the assessment of patients with possible dementia (see neurodegenerative MRI brain...
Article
CT angiography of the circle of Willis (protocol)
CT angiography of the circle of Willis (CTA COW) is a technique that allows visualization of the intracranial arteries; specifically the circle of Willis. While digital subtraction angiography (DSA) remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms especially, CTA is a less i...
Article
CT cisternography
Computed tomography (CT) cisternography is a minimally-invasive imaging technique used to visualize the intracranial CSF cisterns using iodinated contrast medium injected into the subarachnoid space.
Indications
detect and localize active CSF leaks through the skull base (CSF rhinorrhea or CSF...
Article
CT angiography of the cerebral arteries (protocol)
CT angiography of the cerebral arteries (also known as a CTA carotids or an arch to vertex angiogram) is a non-invasive technique that allows visualization of the internal and external carotid arteries and vertebral arteries and can include just the intracranial compartment or also extend down t...
Article
Extradural hematoma vs subdural hematoma
Differentiating extradural (EDH) from subdural (SDH) hemorrhage in the head is usually straightforward, but occasionally it can be challenging. SDHs are more common and there are a few distinguishing features which are usually reliable.
Pathology
History and mechanism of injury
Extradural hem...
Article
Bicaudate index
The bicaudate index is the ratio of width of two lateral ventricles at the level of the head of the caudate nucleus to distance between outer tables of skull at the same level. It can be a useful marker of ventricular volume and in the diagnosis of hydrocephalus.
See also
Evans' index
Article
CT head (an approach)
The approach taken to interpreting a CT scan of the head is no doubt different depending on the circumstances and the reading clinician, however, most radiologists will go through the same steps, although order may vary. What follows is merely a suggested approach to interpreting a CT of the hea...
Article
Spinal cord tuberculoma
Spinal cord tuberculomas are rare compared to intracranial tuberculomas and can be challenging to diagnose particularly in individuals who are not from endemic areas.
Epidemiology
Only 0.2% of central nervous system tuberculosis shows evidence of spinal cord involvement, and among tuberculosi...
Article
Neurodegenerative MRI brain (an approach)
Imaging of the brain in patients with suspected neurodegenerative conditions is common and challenging, as in patients with subtle and equivocal signs and symptoms, the imaging findings are also often subtle and equivocal. In many instances, by the time imaging findings are clear cut, then the p...
Article
Intercaudate distance to inner table width ratio
Intercaudate distance to inner table width ratio (CC/IT) is used in assessing patients with neurodegenerative diseases that affect the caudate nuclei. It is best known for assessing individuals with suspected Huntington disease but is in no way specific for the diagnosis, also seen in other less...
Article
Optic nerve sheath diameter
Optic nerve sheath diameter has significance in the assessment of papilledema in cases of elevated intracranial pressure.
Pathology
The optic nerve sheath demonstrates changes in diameter with CSF pressure changes as there is a layer of subarachnoid space between the nerve and its sheath, whic...
Article
Denver criteria for blunt cerebrovascular injury
The Denver criteria are a set of screening criteria used to determine when CT angiography of the neck is indicated to detect blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) in patients presenting after trauma.
Screening criteria
The Denver criteria were initially developed in 1996 1, modified in 2005 to ...
Article
Tentorial angle
The tentorial angle is measured between a line connecting the nasion with the tuberculum sellae and the angle of the straight sinus. Normally it should measure between 27° and 52°.
Abnormalities of the posterior fossa or base of skull can alter this. For example, this angle is elevated in achon...
Article
Gunshot injuries
Gunshot injuries are a type of penetrating trauma that often require imaging assessment, and this evaluation has both clinical relevance (assessment of organ damage, surgical planning, and prognostication), and often also forensic implications.
Epidemiology
Incidence of gunshot injuries to the...
Article
Subfalcine herniation
Subfalcine herniation, also known as midline shift or cingulate hernia, is the most common type of cerebral herniation. It is generally caused by unilateral frontal, parietal or temporal lobe disease that pushes ipsilateral cingulate gyrus beneath the free edge of the falx cerebri to the opposit...
Article
Intradural spinal mass lesions (an approach)
Intradural spinal mass lesions are relatively uncommon, compared to intracranial or extradural masses, and can be challenging to diagnose. Additionally, the need for a pre-operative/non-operative diagnosis is in many ways greater as biopsy of lesions within the cord has the potential of devastat...
Article
CHALICE rule
The Children’s Head injury ALgorithm for prediction of Clinically Important Events (CHALICE) clinical decision rule was developed to predict clinically important brain injuries in children with head trauma. This rule identifies high-risk criteria and divides them into history, examination and me...
Article
Intraventricular masses (an approach)
The ventricular system of the brain plays host to a variety of unique tumors, as well as tumors that are more frequently seen elsewhere (e.g. meningiomas). Besides, some intra-axial (parenchymal) masses can be mostly exophytic and thus appear mostly intraventricular. A systematic approach taking...
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