Diffuse Axonal Injury: Identifying EXCEPT True Statement
Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI) is a severe form of traumatic brain injury resulting from rotational and shearing forces that damage nerve fibers throughout the brain. The question asks to identify the statement that is NOT true about DAI.
Analysis of Options:
- Option 1: Form of primary brain injury - This statement is TRUE. DAI occurs immediately at the time of impact due to mechanical forces, classifying it as a primary brain injury.
- Option 2: Seen in high energy - This statement is TRUE. DAI is typically associated with high-impact trauma, such as motor vehicle accidents or significant falls, where substantial kinetic energy is involved.
- Option 3: Patient is comatose - This statement is generally TRUE. Severe DAI often leads to immediate and prolonged loss of consciousness or coma due to widespread disruption of neural pathways.
- Option 4: CT scan shows pathognomonic finding - This statement is FALSE. While CT scans may show subtle signs like small punctate hemorrhages or evidence of swelling in severe cases, they are frequently normal, especially in mild to moderate DAI. Findings are often non-specific, and MRI is more sensitive for detecting DAI lesions. Therefore, CT findings are not considered pathognomonic (uniquely characteristic) for DAI.
Conclusion:
The statement that is NOT true regarding Diffuse Axonal Injury is that a CT scan shows a pathognomonic finding. While imaging is crucial, CT is limited in diagnosing DAI, and its findings are not definitive.
Important Questions from Brain & Nervous System Surgery
- The term mid-line shift is associated with:
- A 70 years old man on anticoagulants due to some heart disease suffered a minor head injury. One month later he has severe headache with slowly developing neurological signs. The probable diagnosis is:
- A patient with suspected head injury is brought to the emergency following road traffic accident. At the time of examination, patient is conscious with GCS 14/15 and stable vitals. There is bleeding from right ear and CSF leak from nose. Bruising is present behind the right ear. The most probable clinical diagnosis in this patient is
- A comatose patient after sustaining severe head injury has been admitted in neurosurgical ICU. Which of the following parameters should ideally be maintained in this patient ?
1. pCO$_2$ = 4.5 – 5.0 kPa (33-38 mm Hg)
2. MAP = 80 – 90 mm of Hg
3. pO$_2$ > 11 kPa (> 80 mm Hg)
4. Na$^+$ < 130 meq/L
Select the correct answer using the code given below : Which of the following chromosomal abnormalities are associated with brain tumours?
1. Neurofibromatosis type 1
2. Neurofibromatosis type 2
3. Peutz-Jeghers syndrome
4. Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
