Aim: To determine the diagnostic values of magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography and characteristics of the lesions in traumatic lesions of the corpus callosum.
Cases and methods: In 49 cases with traumatic lesions of the corpus callosum whose Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores were 12 or under, presence and characteristics of the lesions of corpus callosum were evaluated retrospectively. All of the cases had both of MRI and CT scans at early posttraumatic periods.
Results: In 20 patients (40.8%) there were 31 lesions. There were lesions in only 7 of 20 patients that had lesions in MRI. Despite most of lesions (87%) were nonhemorrhagic in MRI, 3 of 7 lesions (42.8%) were nonhemorrhagic in CT. Lesions were limited to the splenium in 7 of 20 patients (35%). In other cases there were lesions at anterior regions of corpus callosum with or without splenial lesions. There were more lesions of brain stem and subcortical white matter in patients with corpus callosum trauma than ones without, but differences were not statistically significant.
Conclusions: Traumatic lesions of the corpus callosum are frequently seen in moderate and severe head injury. Most of the lesions are nonhemorrhagic and localized in splenium. The diagnostic value of MRI is rather high than of CT in traumatic lesions of corpus callosum.