Quantitative CT Scan and CT-Estimated Brain Specific Gravity in TBI

An uncontrolled increase in intracranial pressure (ICP), often due to cerebral edema, is the most common cause of death in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Different types of edema coexist in TBI patients: Vasogenic edema and cytotoxic edema. Vasogenic edema occurs with the extravasation of fluid into the extracellular space following blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption. Cytotoxic edema results from a shift of water from the extracellular compartment into the intracellular compartment due, in part, to alterations in normal ionic gradients. Description of the localization and knowledge of the chronology, determinants, and kinetics of the BBB disruption are necessary to adapt therapeutic strategy.