CT of extracranial hemorrhage and hematomas.

Computed tomography was used to examine 100 patients with extracranial hemorrhage. Of these patients, 29 had serial scans that allowed for the study of evolutionary changes. Operation, anticoagulation, and trauma were the prime etiologic factors. The most frequent sites included the retroperitoneum (27%), body wall or extremities (24%), peritoneal cavity (19%), and subcapsular (16%) and intraparenchymal (7%) locations. The computed tomographic features were carefully studied and documented. Age-related features included contrast-material extravasation, inhomogeneity, hematocrit effect, attenuation changes, lucent halo, pseudocapsule development, decreased size with time, peripheral calcification, and fascial plane thickening. Some of these features are indicative of hemorrhage but others are nonspecific. This report discusses all these findings and their usefulness in diagnosis and patient care.