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A quantitative computed tomography assessment of brain weight, volume, and specific gravity in severe head trauma

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Abstract

Background

Computed tomography DICOM images analysis allows a quantitative measurement of organ weight, volume and specific gravity in humans.

Methods

The brain weight, volume and specific gravity of 15 traumatic brain-injury patients (3±2 days after trauma) were computed using a specially designed software (BrainView). Data were compared with those obtained from 15 healthy subjects paired for age and overall intracranial volume.

Results

Hemisphere weight were 91 g higher in patients than in controls (1167±101 vs 1076±112 g; p<0.05). Specific gravity of hemispheres (1.0367±0.0017 vs 1.0335±0.0012 g/ml; p<0.001), brainstem (1.0302±0.0016 vs 1.0277±0.0015 g/ml; p<0.001) and cerebellum (1.0396±0.0020 vs 1.0375±0.0015 g/ml; p<0.05) was significantly higher in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients than in controls (all p<0.0001 without interaction). This increase in specific gravity was evenly distributed between the hemispheres, the brainstem and the cerebellum, and the grey and white matter. It was more pronounced in the rostral than in the caudal areas of the hemispheres. It was independent of the volume of brain contusion, of the mechanism of head injury, of natremia and of initial Glasgow coma score.

Conclusion

Human TBI patients present a diffuse increase in specific gravity. This observation is in sharp opposition with the data derived from the experimental literature.

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Acknowledgements. The authors thank the nurses of the Neuro-Surgical Intensive Care Unit and the technicians of the Department of Neuro-Radiology for their active participation. Financial support from the “Fondation des gueules cassées” (2003-14). This work was presented in part at the SNACC meeting held in San Francisco in October 2003.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, La Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital and University Paris VI, 47–83 Bd de l’hôpital, 75013, Paris, France

    Thomas Lescot, Marie-Pierre Bonnet, Jean-Charles Muller, Pierre Coriat & Louis Puybasset

  2. Department of Neuroradiology, La Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital and University Paris VI, 47–83 Bd de l’hôpital, 75013, Paris, France

    Abederrezak Zouaoui

  3. ARTEMIS Project Unit, Institut National des Télécommunications, Evry, France

    Catalin Fetita

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  1. Thomas Lescot
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  2. Marie-Pierre Bonnet
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Correspondence to Louis Puybasset.

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This article refers to the editorial http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00134-005-2708-z.

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Lescot, T., Bonnet, MP., Zouaoui, A. et al. A quantitative computed tomography assessment of brain weight, volume, and specific gravity in severe head trauma. Intensive Care Med 31, 1042–1050 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-005-2709-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-005-2709-y

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