Background: Brain ischaemia and infarction are the leading factors in morbidity and
mortality of traumatic brain injury. This study aimed to determine the perfusion status of
pericontusional hypodense areas in traumatic cerebral contusion
Methods: Ten patients involved in motor vehicle accidents were enrolled in this study,
and contusions were diagnosed from plain computed tomography scans of the brain. Subsequent
computed tomography perfusion (CTP) was performed to analyse the perfusion of pericontusional
hypodense areas, which were divided into 4 regions of interest (ROI).
Results: Most ischaemic perfusion was found in ROI 6 (affecting 60% of patients), although
the mean of the perfusion parameters were normal. A significant positive correlation was found
between the perfusion status in the pericontusional area nearest to the skull vault (ROI 3) and its
distance/thickness to the skull vault (r = 0.698, P = 0.025). Two adjacent pericontusional hypodense
areas (ROI 4 and ROI 5) showed a significant positive correlation with each other (r = 0.667, P =
0.035) in terms of perfusion status. The presence of a hypodense pericontusional area is suggestive
of oedema and perfusion disturbances.
Conclusion: CTP is a useful, fast, and appropriate method in evaluating perfusion of
pericontusional hypodensity area that may help the treating physician to provide an appropriate
treatment to the patient.