Functional neuroimaging and quantitative electroencephalography in adult traumatic head injury: Clinical applications and interpretive cautions

Functional neuroimaging and quantitative electroencephalographic procedures are being used increasingly in brain injury research and clinical care. Th ese procedures are also seeing increased use in the context of forensic eva luations, particularly in cases of mild head trauma. This article provides an overview of the use of procedures such as positron emission tomography, single photon emission computed tomography, and quantitative electroencepha logram in adults. Also discussed are the clinical limitations of each proce dure within the context of myriad interpretive confounds that can interfere with accurate differential diagnosis of mild head trauma.