Why do patients with reported brain injuries sometimes have MRI or CT scans that are negative?
CT scans and MRIs are types of images that allow physicians to see if there are any structural abnormalities to the brain, such as bleeds, tumors, or hematomas. However, they are limited in seeing all brain injuries, especially mild injuries, in which the person did not lose consciousness or did not lose consciousness for more than a few moments.
Your brain is made of billions of cells (called neurons) that communicate with each other through chemical and electrical processes. It is the stimulation of cells that creates cognitive and emotional functioning. Everything humans and animals do, 24 hours a day, is a complex pattern of cells firing. From watching television to cooking an omelet to talking to a friend to just simple breathing and sleeping… it’s all just neurons firing.
An MRI or CT might show you areas where there is something foreign (like a tumor) or where cells are damaged, but they won’t show you very small changes or changes in electrical signals or chemicals (neurotransmitters). Even if your brain is relatively free from structural damage, damage may have occurred that affects keeps the cells in your brain from firing strongly, quickly, and effectively.
Think of it this way: A photograph can show a picture of two people who may appear to be talking, but it can’t show whether those people are talking quickly or slowly, whether they are making any sense to each other, or if they’re talking about anything important versus just chatter.
Neuropsychologists use Neurocognitive Testing to see if you are having any problems related to your brain injury, such as difficulties with focus, problem solving, spatial skills, language, etc. These tests do not show what damage there may be to the brain, but they show the outcome of that damage. They show how it is affecting your thinking and your life!
There are new types of scans being developed called Diffuse Tensor Imaging (DTI) and likely one day very soon, these types of scans will be used by more and more doctors. Why? Because these scans actually show tracts or roadways of cells as they fire. They can help doctors see that a patient is having trouble with certain kinds of tasks that range from paying attention to learning but probably cognitive testing will still be needed since each patient is different and each patient has different strengths and weaknesses. Here is a beautiful picture of all those pathways of cells that fire in patterns. Pretty neat, huh?
CT scans and MRIs are types of images that allow physicians to see if there are any structural abnormalities to the brain, such as bleeds, tumors, or hematomas. However, they are limited in seeing all brain injuries, especially mild injuries, in which the person did not lose consciousness or did not lose consciousness for more than a few moments.
Your brain is made of billions of cells (called neurons) that communicate with each other through chemical and electrical processes. It is the stimulation of cells that creates cognitive and emotional functioning. Everything humans and animals do, 24 hours a day, is a complex pattern of cells firing. From watching television to cooking an omelet to talking to a friend to just simple breathing and sleeping… it’s all just neurons firing.
An MRI or CT might show you areas where there is something foreign (like a tumor) or where cells are damaged, but they won’t show you very small changes or changes in electrical signals or chemicals (neurotransmitters). Even if your brain is relatively free from structural damage, damage may have occurred that affects keeps the cells in your brain from firing strongly, quickly, and effectively.
Think of it this way: A photograph can show a picture of two people who may appear to be talking, but it can’t show whether those people are talking quickly or slowly, whether they are making any sense to each other, or if they’re talking about anything important versus just chatter.
Neuropsychologists use Neurocognitive Testing to see if you are having any problems related to your brain injury, such as difficulties with focus, problem solving, spatial skills, language, etc. These tests do not show what damage there may be to the brain, but they show the outcome of that damage. They show how it is affecting your thinking and your life!
There are new types of scans being developed called Diffuse Tensor Imaging (DTI) and likely one day very soon, these types of scans will be used by more and more doctors. Why? Because these scans actually show tracts or roadways of cells as they fire. They can help doctors see that a patient is having trouble with certain kinds of tasks that range from paying attention to learning but probably cognitive testing will still be needed since each patient is different and each patient has different strengths and weaknesses. Here is a beautiful picture of all those pathways of cells that fire in patterns. Pretty neat, huh?
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