Subgaleal hematoma

Changed by Craig Hacking, 13 Apr 2017

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

Show markup changes

Subgaleal haematoma describesscalp bleeding in the potential space between the periosteum and the galea aponeurosis.

It most commonly occurs after vacuum assisted delivery, but may also be seen following head trauma. In patients with intracranial haemorrhage or skull fractures, the incidence of subgaleal haemorrhage is increased.

Differential diagnosis

General imaging differential considerations include:

scalp haematoma
- caput succedaneum
- subgaleal haematoma
- cephalohaematoma

On certain MRI sequences also consider:

subgaleal lipoma

-<p><strong>Subgaleal haematoma</strong> describes bleeding in the potential space between the <a href="/articles/periosteum">periosteum</a> and the <a href="/articles/galea-aponeurotica">galea aponeurosis</a>.</p><p>It most commonly occurs after vacuum assisted delivery, but may also be seen following head trauma. In patients with intracranial haemorrhage or skull fractures, the incidence of subgaleal haemorrhage is increased.</p><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><p>General imaging differential considerations include:</p><ul><li>
+<p><strong>Subgaleal haematoma</strong> describes <a title="Scalp" href="/articles/scalp-1">scalp</a> bleeding in the potential space between the periosteum and the <a href="/articles/galea-aponeurotica">galea aponeurosis</a>.</p><p>It most commonly occurs after vacuum assisted delivery, but may also be seen following head trauma. In patients with intracranial haemorrhage or skull fractures, the incidence of subgaleal haemorrhage is increased.</p><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><p>General imaging differential considerations include:</p><ul><li>

Systems changed:

Obstetrics
Paediatrics
Trauma

ADVERTISEMENT: Supporters see fewer/no ads

{"current_user":null,"inclusions":[{"imageId":38232369,"studyId":67388,"caseSlug":"scalp-haematoma-types-diagram","caption":"Figure 1: subgaleal hematoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/38232369/c838e9951e45c20b98828b8dc6d5c7_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"not_applicable"},{"imageId":2037722,"studyId":17969,"caseSlug":"parietal-fracture-with-large-subgaleal-haematoma","caption":"Case 1: in a child","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/2037722/aa9cb47b67a8f5c7773a36332f450f_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":5521021,"studyId":26945,"caseSlug":"subgaleal-haematoma","caption":"Case 2","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/5521021/febfd34ca49120686c6da659af88f96c62292eb603bee09be013ee6c4404320e_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":12104614,"studyId":37082,"caseSlug":"subgaleal-haematoma-due-to-birth-trauma","caption":"Case 3: due to birth trauma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/12104614/86d51efaaafb80c398698bc4ad9659_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":9040517,"studyId":33051,"caseSlug":"extensive-subgaleal-haematoma","caption":"Case 4","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/9040517/848a0655572321345f17f2857a7406_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":2293305,"studyId":19265,"caseSlug":"extradural-haematoma-subdural-haematomas-cerebral-contusions-and-subgaleal-haematoma","caption":"Case 5: with extradural and subdural hematomas","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/2293305/58c93ce407f3efdf987d727aba74e9_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":2085668,"studyId":18214,"caseSlug":"coup-contrecoup-injury-1","caption":"Case 6: coup-contracoup injury","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/2085668/51d635e511749056482b240966ae99_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":10745065,"studyId":35131,"caseSlug":"traumatic-subarachnoid-haemorrhage-coup-contrecoup-injury","caption":"Case 7","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/10745065/66bff668101528d62a80730a0914b8_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":9228903,"studyId":33337,"caseSlug":"extradural-haematoma-4","caption":"Case 8","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/9228903/d2c6de98960a0de34182946859ea60_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":2084526,"studyId":18212,"caseSlug":"extradural-haemorrhage-6","caption":"Case 9","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/2084526/633fa653ccf03d7c05d0735d3a59a3_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_unsubstantiated"},{"imageId":4200208,"studyId":24013,"caseSlug":"extradural-haemorrhage-with-subgaleal-haematoma","caption":"Case 10","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/4200208/4ee2fa5e7a7247549daad20b13f49e_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":4240644,"studyId":24176,"caseSlug":"extradural-haematoma-venous-5","caption":"Case 11","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/4240644/eab8702001896b387e8ae606ef769a_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_unsubstantiated"},{"imageId":16998361,"studyId":43384,"caseSlug":"extradural-haemorrhage-2","caption":"Case 12","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/16998361/7c41a923635df837deeb7e44444922_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":54497617,"studyId":103605,"caseSlug":"large-recurrent-subgaleal-haematoma","caption":"Case 13","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/54497617/IMG-0002-00023_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_unsubstantiated"},{"imageId":54443190,"studyId":103279,"caseSlug":"large-traumatic-subgaleal-hematoma-and-cervical-spine-fracture","caption":"Case 14: traumatic, actively bleeding","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/54443190/IMAGE_002-062_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":56482536,"studyId":114455,"caseSlug":"subgaleal-hematoma-with-retrobulbar-extension","caption":"Case 15: subgaleal hematoma with retrobulbar extension","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/56482536/Anonymize.Seq4.Ser5.Img13_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":59275371,"studyId":124836,"caseSlug":"subgaleal-hematoma-with-orbital-extension","caption":"Case 16: with orbital extension","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/59275371/c5783d2ffe6dc63b923b80a4d86ef01222bfc13f09d174a84350ec49c5119333_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":60602377,"studyId":130287,"caseSlug":"subgaleal-hematoma-with-orbital-extension-1","caption":"Case 17: with orbital extension","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/60602377/e329e47fe56b59209d018b26c768d16fe0f97d2646452d67f5df3173b440b838_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":63391844,"studyId":141125,"caseSlug":"acute-tentorium-cerebelli-subdural-haematoma","caption":"Case 18: with acute tentorium cerebelli subdural heamatoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/63391844/579f96a0d055073092c94d758f8667bbaa61a1219d0eecc16d90e27631a243cd_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"}],"ddx_inclusions":[{"imageId":38232360,"studyId":67388,"caseSlug":"scalp-haematoma-types-diagram","caption":"Caput succedaneum","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/38232360/73645ce3178013d06054eb15f93079_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"not_applicable"},{"imageId":1429624,"studyId":15193,"caseSlug":"subgaleal-lipoma","caption":"Subgaleal lipoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/1429624/a87d2d925f80dd4ff4024b714af817_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"probable"},{"imageId":38232371,"studyId":67388,"caseSlug":"scalp-haematoma-types-diagram","caption":"Cephalohematoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/38232371/82be03873196990681fe91c8d92918_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"not_applicable"},{"imageId":566118,"studyId":11638,"caseSlug":"caput-succedaneum","caption":"Caput succedaneum","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/566118/837e001a42f2e37e4b16868952dea1_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":5505114,"studyId":26929,"caseSlug":"bilateral-cephalohaematomas-and-subdural-haematomas","caption":"Bilateral cephalohematomas and subdural hematomas","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/5505114/509d76f1fe2f218f05c9e57d996e77_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":155154,"studyId":8832,"caseSlug":"ossified-cephalohaematoma","caption":"Ossified cephalohematoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/155154/5f82bfc2da818e3f1463d93b26d85e89f737205afe39b69626806a94a29f9759_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_unsubstantiated"},{"imageId":32678972,"studyId":62113,"caseSlug":"circumferential-post-traumatic-subgaleal-abscess-1","caption":"Subgaleal abscess","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/32678972/8120981085f5f546c5559cce345dea_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":52110966,"studyId":85665,"caseSlug":"subgaleal-lipoma-6","caption":"Subgaleal lipoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/52110966/bb573fb290438b0ba1b19c4db635e4_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_unsubstantiated"}],"lang":"us"}

Updating… Please wait.

Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.

Thank you for updating your details.

Subgaleal hematoma

Updates to Article Attributes

Differential diagnosis

See also

Articles

By Section:

By System:

Cases

Radiopaedia.org