BRAIN IMAGING AND BEHAVIORAL OUTCOME IN TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Brain imaging studies have become an essential diagnostic assessment p rocedure in evaluating the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Su ch imaging studies provide a wealth of information about structural an d functional deficits following TBI. But how pathologic changes identi fied by brain imaging methods relate to neurobehavioral outcome is not as well known. Thus, the focus of this article is on brain imaging fi ndings and outcome following TBI. The article starts with an overview of current research dealing with the cellular pathology associated wit h TBI. Understanding the cellular elements of pathology permits extrap olation to what is observed with brain imaging. Next, this article rev iews the relationship of brain imaging findings to underlying patholog y and how that pathology relates to neurobehavioral outcome. The brain imaging techniques of magnetic resonance imaging, computerized tomogr aphy, and single photon emission computed tomography are reviewed. Var ious image analysis procedures, and how such findings relate to neurop sychological testing, are discussed. The importance of brain imaging i n evaluating neurobehavioral deficits following brain injury is stress ed.