How are Brain Contusions Different from Brain Concussions?
January 17, 2010 by admin
Filed under General Health
For a layman, it may seem that both brain contusion and brain concussion are similar but scientifically, they are different, in the sense, a brain contusion is a severe form of brain concussion. Although brain contusion and brain concussion occur due to head injuries and are both common and quite serious, the similarities stop there.
To identify the differences between the two, it is essential to get to know of certain facts on which they are differentiated. Brain contusions are localized and are macroscopic, that is, can be seen by the naked eye whereas a brain concussion is widespread and can be viewed only though a microscope.
To make it clear further, a brain contusion can happen when the brain has been injured which means, when the bruises (as in other external parts of the body) have occurred inside the brain, it can be viewed through computerized tomogrpahic (CT) scan and Magnetic Resonance (MR) scan.
These scans give a detailed level of the bruise or contusions that have occurred in the brain. Since it can be seen by the naked eye with the help of a scanner, it is termed as macroscopic. The term, localized is referred to the single location where contusions have occurred. They can happen in more than one single location, too. Contusions can occur in large numbers too so that they form a salt and pepper appearance on CT scan.
In contrast, a brain concussion is not localized, meaning, there is a diffusion of blood which is widespread, homogeneous impairment of the brain tissues and escapes the detection by the eye or the scanner -hence microscopic. When the concussion is severe, there can be a physical snapping of axons which are responsible for communication between cells. This affects the functioning of brain cells and so, they under perform. This results, ultimately, to lose conscious or become confused. In addition, the victim might show tearfulness, irritability and other changes in behavior.
Therefore, when a person experiences brain injury he may experience contusion or concussion or both. It is not mandatory to have either one or both. Any one condition may preclude the other. Although there are some fundamental differences between brain contusion and brain concussion, an unfortunate victim of brain injury has chances of suffering from both.
CT scans are more useful than MR scans because CT scans are capable of evaluating patients with acute brain trauma and fresh hemorrhages are more apparent in a CT scan.
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