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A physical exam may show a stiff neck due to irritation by blood of the meninges, the tissues that cover the brain. Except those in a deep coma, persons with a subarachnoid hemorrhage may resist neck movement.
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To make a diagnosis, a health-care provider takes a detailed history of the symptoms and does a physical examination . The symptoms may mimic other disorders and diagnosis can be complicated, especially if the individual is unconscious. The sudden...
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During a physical examination, a health care provider studies a patient's body to determine the presence or absence of physical problems. A typical physical examination includes: Inspection (looking at the body; Palpation (feeling the body with ha...
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The health status of populations and of individuals is assessed for many reasons. Assessing needs for care helps guide the allocation of resources— diagnostic assessments guide treatment, prognostic assessments contribute to planning, and assessin...
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A cranial computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create cross-sectional pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses. See: Computed tomography
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Computed tomography (CT) scans are completed with the use of a 360-degree x-ray beam and computer production of images. These scans allow for cross-sectional views of body organs and tissues. Computed tomography is also known as computerized axial...
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Injury to the head may damage the scalp, skull , or brain . The most important consequence of head injury is traumatic brain injury. Head injury may occur either as a closed head injury such as the head hitting a car's windshield, or as a penetrat...
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Computed tomography (CT) scans are completed with the use of a 360-degree x-ray beam and computer production of images. These scans allow for cross- sectional views of body organs and tissues.
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CT imaging equipment includes conventional, spiral, multi-slice, and electron-beam computed tomography full-body scanners, which use x rays to acquire cross-sectional images and computer workstations to reconstruct acquired image data for display ...
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Injury to the head may damage the scalp, skull or brain. The most important consequence of head trauma is traumatic brain injury. Head injury may occur either as a closed head injury, such as the head hitting a car's windshield, or as a penetratin...
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Head injury is an injury to the scalp, skull, or brain. The most important consequence of head trauma is traumatic brain injury. Head injury may occur either as a closed head injury, such as the head hitting a car's windshield; or as a penetrating...
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A neurological examination is an essential component of a comprehensive physical examination . It is a systematic examination that surveys the functioning of nerves delivering sensory information to the brain and caring motor commands (Peripheral ...
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Cerebral angiography is a procedure that uses a special dye (contrast material) and x-rays to see how blood flows through the brain.
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A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the head is a noninvasive method to create detailed pictures of the brain and surrounding nerve tissues. Unlike x-rays and computed tomographic (CT) scans, which use radiation, MRI uses powerful magnets a...
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Congenital brain defects are a group of disorders of brain development.
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The brain is the part of the central nervous system located in the skull. It controls the mental processes and physical actions of a human being.
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The brain is a large mass of soft nervous tissue made up of both neurons and supporting glial cells lying within the cranium of the skull. The brain contains both gray and white matter. Gray matter is primarily nerve cell bodies, whereas white mat...
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners rely on the principles of atomic nuclear-spin resonance. Using strong magnetic fields and radio waves, MRI collects and correlates deflections caused by atoms into images. MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging ...
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the result of physical trauma to the head causing damage to the brain. This damage can be focal, or restricted to a single area of the brain, or diffuse, affecting more than one region of the brain. By definition, T...
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The brain is the part of the central nervous system (CNS) inside the skull (the part outside the skull is the spinal cord ). It gives rise to cognitive thought processes and controls various body functions including muscular activity, speech, sigh...
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A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue, either malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous), in the brain. Each year, more than 17,000 brain tumors are diagnosed in the United States.
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A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue in the brain. Unlike other tumors, brain tumors spread by local extension and rarely metastasize (spread) outside the brain. A benign brain tumor is composed of non-cancerous cells and does not metasta...
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A brain biopsy is the removal of a small piece of brain tissue for the diagnosis of abnormalities of the brain, such as Alzheimer's disease , tumors, infection, or inflammation.
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Brain abscess is a bacterial infection within the brain.
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Congenital brain defects are a group of disorders of brain development that are present at birth.
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Part of the central nervous system located in the skull. Controls mental and physical actions of the organism. The brain, with the spinal cord and network of nerves, controls information flow throughout the body, voluntary actions, such as walking...
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Like all other parts of the body, the brain and central nervous system are made up of cells that ordinarily grow and divide to create new cells as needed. This is usually an orderly process; but when cells lose their ability to grow normally or to...
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the newest diagnostic medical imaging technologies that uses strong magnets and pulses of radio waves to manipulate the natural magnetic properties in the body to generate a visible image. In the field of...
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Angiography is the x-ray study of the blood vessels. An angiogram uses a radiopaque substance, or dye, to make the blood vessels visible under x ray. Arteriography is a type of angiography that involves the study of the arteries.
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a unique and versatile medical imaging modality. Doctors can obtain highly refined images of the body's interior using MRI. By using strong magnetic fields and pulses of radio waves to manipulate the natural mag...
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Understanding how the brain is supplied with blood is important because a significant number of neurological disorders that result in hospital admissions are due to problems with cerebral vascular disease. In some hospitals, nearly half the admiss...
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Lumbar puncture (LP) is the technique of using a needle to withdraw cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the spinal canal. CSF is the clear, watery liquid that protects the central nervous system from injury and cushions it from the surrounding bone str...
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive way to take pictures of the body. Unlike x-rays and computed tomographic (CT) scans, which use radiation, MRI uses powerful magnets and radio waves. The MRI scanner contains the magnet. The magneti...
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the newest, and perhaps most versatile, medical imaging technology available. Doctors can get highly refined images of the body's interior without surgery using MRI. By using strong magnets and pulses of ...
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses radio waves, a magnetic field, and a computer to generate images of the anatomy.
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the newest, and perhaps most versatile, medical imaging technology available. Doctors can get highly refined images of the body's interior without surgery, using MRI. By using strong magnets and pulses of radio ...
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MRI produces a map of hydrogen atoms distributed in the body. Hydrogen is the simplest element known, the most abundant in biological tissue, and one that can be magnetically polarized. It will align itself within a strong magnetic field, like the...
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A computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create cross-sectional pictures of the body. See also: Cranial CT scan; Lumbosacral spine CT scan; Orbit CT scan; Thoracic CT scan.
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Computed tomography (CT) scanning is a valuable diagnostic tool that provides physicians with views of internal body structures. During a CT scan, multiple x rays are passed through the body, producing cross-sectional images, or "slices, " on a ca...
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Computed tomography (CT), formerly referred to as computerized axial tomography (CAT), is a common diagnostic imaging procedure that uses x rays to generate images (slices) of the anatomy.
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Computed tomography (CT) scans are completed with the use of a 360-degree x-ray beam and computer production of images. These scans allow for cross-sectional views of body organs and tissues.
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Computed tomography scanning, also called CT scan, CAT scan, or computerized axial tomography, is a diagnostic tool that provides views of internal body structures using x rays. In the field of mental health, a CT scan may be used when a patient s...
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Computed tomography (also known as CT, CT scan, CAT, or computerized axial tomography) scans use x rays to produce precise cross-sectional images of anatomical structures.
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An arteriogram is an imaging test that uses x-rays and a special dye to see inside the arteries. It can be used to see arteries in the heart, brain, kidney, and many other parts of the body. The procedure is often called angiography. See also: Aor...
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Angiography is the x-ray (radiographic) study of the blood vessels. An angiogram uses a radiopaque substance, or contrast medium, to make the blood vessels visible under x ray. The key ingredient in most radiographic contrast media is iodine. Arte...
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Angiography is the x-ray (radiographic) study of the blood vessels . An angiogram uses a radiopaque substance, or contrast medium, to make the blood vessels visible under x ray. The key ingredient in most radiographic contrast media is iodine. Art...
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Angiography is the x-ray (radiographic) study of the blood vessels. An angiogram uses a radiopaque substance, or contrast medium, to make the blood vessels visible under x ray. The key ingredient in most radiographic contrast media is iodine.
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Angiography is the x-ray study of the blood vessels. An angiogram uses a radiopaque substance, or dye, to make the blood vessels visible under x ray . Arteriography is a type of angiography that involves the study of the arteries. An angiogram of ...
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Magnetic resonance angiography is an MRI exam of the blood vessels. Unlike traditional angiography that involves placing a tube (catheter) into the body, MRA is considered noninvasive.
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