Late effects of hematoma on brain morphology and memory in closed head injury

In order to examine the late effects of prior hematoma on brain morphology and memory in closed head injury (CHI), 16 patients with a history of hematoma and craniotomy following injury were matched with CHI patients without prior hematoma. Volumetric estimates of cortical atrophy and ventricle size computed from CT scans were obtained in addition to Wechsler Memory scale (WMS) scores. Patients with a history of hematoma demonstrated significantly greater cortical atrophy than nonhematoma CHI patients irrespective of hematoma location. The hematoma group also was found to have greater ventricular dilation, although this difference only approached significance. In terms of memory abilities, the hematoma group was more impaired on WMS Memory Quotient (MQ) and the Associate Learning subtest in particular. Results suggest that hematoma following head injury may promote additional detrimental effects on brain morphology and memory status.