Computed tomography of patients in a persistent vegetative state

The results of computed tomography scans of 17 patients (9, traumatic, 8, nontraumatic) in a vegetative state were analyzed. (1) An abnormally low density was observed in about 71% of the cases. The most frequent site of the abnormal low density was in the frontal lobe, and the next most frequent was in the temporal lobe. 50% of the abnormal low density in the frontal lobe was a bilateral occurrence. The recovered patients showed a high incidence of an abnormally low density (about 88%) and more frequent single lesions. On the other hand, the persistent-vegetative-state patients had a less frequent incidence of an abnormally low density (about 56%) and multiplicity in 60% of the cases which did show abnormally low densities. Abnormally low densities were also seen in the basal ganglia and cerebellum. (2) Ventricle displacement was showed in nearly 35% of all the patients, while in the persistent-vegetative-state patients, ventricle displacement numbered about 22%. Ventricle deformity was observed in about 44% of the persistent-vegetative-state patients. (3) Ventricular enlargement by means of bicaudate CVI, was observed in 15 patients (88.2%). The mean bicaudate CVI was 21.6% in the recovered patients, and 35.2% in the persistent-vegetative-state patients. This figure indicates that the latter shows an enlarged lateral ventricle. (4) The size of the lateral ventricle becomes larger as time passes from the onset to the CT scanning. (5) The enlargement of the sulci and cisterns indicative of atrophy of the brain parenchym was seen in about 65% of all the cases --in 50% in the recovered patients and in about 78% in the persistent-vegetative-state patients. (author)