Summary
Thirty-four children who sustained moderate to severe closed head injury underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Eight (24%) had MRI evidence of corpus callosum injury, most commonly within the posterior body and splenium. In contradistinction to reports in adults, there was no definite relationship between callosal injury and lower initial Glasgow Coma Scale scores, nor was there a significantly higher incidence of primary brain-stem lesions, diffuse axonal shear injury or intraventricular hemorrhage. In none of these 8 children did the initial admission computed tomography show evidence of callosal injury. Callosal injuries on MRI are not necessarily a poor prognostic finding, the majority of the 8 children showing good functional recovery.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Adams JH, Graham DI, Murray LS, Scott G (1982) Diffuse axonal injury due to nonmissile head injury in humans: an analysis of 45 cases. Ann Neurol 12: 557–563
Adams JH, Graham D, Scott G, Parker LS, Doyle D (1980) Brain damage in fatal non-missile head injury. J Clin Pathol 33: 1132–1145
Adams JH, Mitchell DE, Graham DK, Doyle D (1977) Diffuse brain damage of immediate impact type. Brain 100: 489–502
Blumbergs PC, Jones NR, North JB (1989) Diffuse axonal injury in head trauma. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 52: 838–841
Lindenberg R, Fisher RS, Durlacher SH, Lovitt WV Jr, Freytag E (1955) Lesions of the corpus callosum following blunt mechanical trauma to the head. Am J Pathol 31: 297–317
Strich SJ (1956) Diffuse degeneration of the cerebral white matter in severe dementia following head injury. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 19: 163–185
Gennarelli TA, Thibault LE, Adams JH, Graham DI, Thompson CJ, Marcinin RP (1982) Diffuse axonal injury and traumatic coma in the primate. Ann Neurol 12: 546–574
Gentry LR, Thompson B, Godersky JC (1988) Trauma to the corpus callosum: MR features AJNR 9: 1129–1138
Teasdale G, Jennett B (1976) Assessment and prognosis of coma after head injury. Acta Neurochir 34: 45–55
Jennett B, Bond M (1975) Assessment of outcome after severe brain damage. Lancet I: 480–487
Ommaya AK, Gennarelli T (1974) Cerebral concussion and traumatic unconsciousness: correlation of experimental and clinical observations on blunt head injuries. Brain 97: 633–654
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mendelsohn, D.B., Levin, H.S., Harward, H. et al. Corpus callosum lesions after closed head injury in children: MRI, clinical features and outcome. Neuroradiology 34, 384–388 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00596495
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00596495