Neuroimaging: diffuse axonal injury: practice question

A Radiology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Radiology · Neuroimaging: diffuse axonal injury

Sample item

A patient remains deeply unconscious after a high-speed road accident, but the CT head is almost normal. Which MRI finding is expected?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Small haemorrhagic foci at the grey-white junction, corpus callosum and brainstem

Diffuse axonal injury results from shearing forces at points of density change and shows small punctate haemorrhages, best demonstrated by susceptibility-weighted or gradient echo MRI. CT is often normal or shows small petechial haemorrhages. Prognosis is related to the extent of brainstem involvement.

Option by option

  • A. Small haemorrhagic foci at the grey-white junction, corpus callosum and brainstem (correct)

    Correct. Shearing injury leaves micro-haemorrhages at the grey-white junction and corpus callosum.

  • B. Ring-enhancing mass

    A ring-enhancing mass is an infection or tumour.

  • C. Large infarct in the MCA territory

    An MCA infarct is a vascular event.

  • D. Biconvex extradural collection

    An extradural collection would be visible on CT.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Radiology questions

Questions about this Radiology question

What is the answer to this Radiology question?

The best answer is A, Small haemorrhagic foci at the grey-white junction, corpus callosum and brainstem. Diffuse axonal injury results from shearing forces at points of density change and shows small punctate haemorrhages, best demonstrated by susceptibility-weighted or gradient echo MRI.

Why is "Ring-enhancing mass" not the answer?

A ring-enhancing mass is an infection or tumour.

Why is "Large infarct in the MCA territory" not the answer?

An MCA infarct is a vascular event.

Why is "Biconvex extradural collection" not the answer?

An extradural collection would be visible on CT.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Neuroimaging: diffuse axonal injury in Radiology. CT is often normal or shows small petechial haemorrhages. Prognosis is related to the extent of brainstem involvement.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Neuroimaging: diffuse axonal injury?

Learn signs with the image, and the disease they point to. Then use the flashcards and the other Radiology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.