Do CT Scans Show All Kinds Of Brain Injuries?

On behalf of Lovett Law Firm posted in Brain Injury on Tuesday, February 24, 2015.

Here’s an interesting thought about head injuries. Imagine you know that you have a brain injury and suffer from the consequences every day. Your doctors agree, and they send you to get a CT scan to view what’s going on in your head. When your report comes back, you’re shocked to read that the CT scan was within normal ranges. What happened?

The truth is, you could still have a brain injury. CT scans are not able to see all types of brain injuries. For example, in a study performed at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and University Medical Center Brackenridge in Texas, 135 patients received CT scans to check for mild traumatic brain injuries. When they initially had the scan, no injuries showed up in 99 of the cases. With an MRI, those injuries did show up. On top of that, in 27 of the 99 cases, focal lesions were found on an MRI, proving that there had been bleeding on the brain.

These focal lesions help doctors determine how patients will suffer from a brain injury. More bleeding is more likely to indicate persistent neurological problems in the long run. It’s not an exact science, but the MRI has a better chance of proving that the condition exists.

With 1.7 million Americans suffering from acute head injuries each year, it’s important for medical care to rise to the challenge. In a legal setting, the differences between a CT and MRI scan can mean the difference between receiving, or not receiving, an insurance payout for a substantial amount of money.

Source: UCSF, “MRIs Reveal Signs of Brain Injuries Not Seen in CT Scans” Jason Bardi, accessed Feb. 24, 2015