Diagnostic Challenge of Diffusion Tensor Imaging in a Patient With Hemiplegia After Traumatic Brain Injury

• Published in: Annals of rehabilitation medicine Vol. 41; no. 1; pp. 153 - 157
• Main Authors: Shin, Hye Eun, Suh, Hoon Chang, Kang, Si Hyun, Seo, Kyung Mook, Kim, Don-Kyu, Shin, Hae-Won
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine 01.02.2017; 대한재활의학회
• Subjects: Case Report; 재활의학; Traumatic brain injuries; Corticospinal tract; Diffusion tensor imaging
• ISSN: 2234-0645; 2234-0653
• DOI: 10.5535/arm.2017.41.1.153

A 51-year-old man showed hemiplegia on his right side after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). On initial brain computed tomography (CT) scan, an acute subdural hemorrhage in the right cerebral convexity and severe degrees of midline shifting and subfalcine herniation to the left side were evident. On follow-up brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), there were multiple microhemorrhages in the left parietal and occipital subcortical regions. To explain the occurrence of right hemiplegia after brain damage which dominantly on the right side of brain, we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to reconstruct the corticospinal tract (CST), which showed nearly complete injury on the left CST. We also performed motor-evoked potentials, and stimulation of left motor cortex evoked no response on both sides of upper extremity. We report a case of patient with hemiplegia after TBI and elucidation of the case by DTI rather than CT and MRI.