Question

A 50-year-old patient with a history of trauma one week back presents with confusion and ataxia. He is on treatment for alcohol dependence and his last intake was 2 weeks back. CT scan reveals the following finding. What is the diagnosis?

• A. Extradural hemorrhage
• B. Subdural hemorrhag
• C. Intra-parenchy hemorrhage
• D. Subdural hemorrhage

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The diagnosis in this case is subdural hemorrhage. Let's break down the reasoning:

1. Patient's History: The patient has a history of trauma one week ago, which is a common cause of subdural hemorrhage. Furthermore, the presence of confusion and ataxia are typical symptoms of a subdural hematoma.

2. Alcohol Dependence: The patient undergoing treatment for alcohol dependence is significant as chronic alcohol use can lead to brain atrophy, increasing the potential space for bleeding and making subdural hemorrhages more common due to vulnerable blood vessels after even minor head trauma.

3. CT Scan Findings: Although the image from the CT scan is not provided in this context, subdural hemorrhages typically appear as crescent-shaped hyperdensities on CT scans, which conform to the curvature of the skull, distinguishing them from extradural hemorrhages which are more lens-shaped.

4. Differential Diagnosis: Extradural hemorrhages are usually associated with a lucid interval and more acute presentation post-trauma. Intra-parenchymal hemorrhages and subarachnoid hemorrhages present differently in clinical and imaging findings.

Putting these points together with the symptomatology and background of the patient, the most accurate diagnosis is subdural hemorrhage.