Abstract

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI), occurs when an external force injures the brain. A Motor vehicle accident is the leading cause of brain trauma or brain injuries. It is one of the major etiologies of morbidity and mortality nationally and internationally occurring in all age groups. Imaging plays an essential role in diagnosing or ruling out TBI. Brain computed tomography (CT) scan is the modality of choice in case of acute brain-related injuries. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is more sensitive and is employed mostly in detecting tiny lesions happening due to TBI. The current study aims at the retrospective analysis of the incidence, and imaging findings of TBI in King Fahad Hospital, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: A retrospective study was conducted at the trauma center in King Fahad Hospital, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia during the period from October 2016 to October 2018. The study assessed the demographic data and primary and secondary brain lesion images of the study subjects.
Results: The study assessed 487 brain CT- scan images of 382 male and 105 females. The age group between 20-29 years of age was the highest among the assessed brain injury findings (brain CT scans). Brain contusions, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and acute epidural hemorrhage were the common brain injuries found during the study. Brain MRI was conducted for 31 patients among the total studied subjects (487) after a negative brain CT-scan.
Conclusion: The study found motor vehicle accidents to be the most common cause of head traumatic injury locally and worldwide. MRI was found to be beneficial in detecting minor lesions in case of TBI.

Key words: Traumatic brain injury, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, Al-Ahsa