The role of caudate nucleus and corpus callosum atrophy in trauma-induced anterior horn dilation.

Day-of-injury computerized tomography (CT) scans were compared to post-injury (at least 6 weeks) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of 30 traumatic brain-injured (TBI) patients. Scans were matched as closely as possible at the head of the caudate nucleus (CN), a grey matter structure, and the anterior horns (AH) of the lateral ventricle. The CN and AH surface areas and width of the corpus callosum (CC), a white-matter structure, were measured. Results demonstrated a non-significant change in CN surface area, while AH showed a significant increase. CC showed a significant decrease in width. Lack of significant change in the CN, combined with a significant decrease in CC width, suggests that AH dilation is probably due to surrounding white as opposed to grey-matter atrophy.