Prognostic value of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings in acute traumatic brain injury in prediction of poor neurological outcome and mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, impacting healthcare systems and economies. Early identification of poor outcomes is crucial for effective treatment. This systematic review assesses the prognostic value of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in predicting poor neurological outcomes and mortality in the acute phase of TBI. A comprehensive search of Scopus, MEDLINE, and Web of science databases was performed to identify studies examining CT and MR-based imaging findings and their association with poor outcomes as assessed by Glasgow outcome score as well as mortality within the early acute phase of TBI following injury/admission. Qualitative evaluation of included studies revealed several imaging sequences that modify the outcome of the patients, including extra-axial and intra-axial hemorrhage, swirl sign, contrast extravasation, midline shift, closed and open cranial cisterns, signs of edema, presence of cranial fractures, intracranial hemorrhage, cerebral microbleeds, diffuse axonal injury, apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional anisotropy in diffusion tensor imaging, as well as, concentrations of brain metabolites(N-acetyl aspartate, Creatinine, Choline, Myo-inositol, glutamate, and glutamine) in magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Among these markers, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and subdural hematoma (SDH) emerged as the most predictive of poor outcomes based on meta-analysis findings. SAH was significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality (OR: 3.35, 95% CI: 2.41-4.65, I²=51.3%) and poor outcomes (OR: 2.69, 95% CI: 2.44-2.96, I²=0%). Similarly, SDH correlated with higher mortality risk (OR: 2.44, 95% CI: 2.14-2.78, I²=0%) and worse outcomes (OR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.12-3.59, I²=60.9%). In contrast, epidural hematoma (EDH) was linked to better outcomes (OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.52-0.68, I²=0%) but not significantly associated with mortality (OR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.09-1.65, I²=73.7%). The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis provide an overview of clinically feasible imaging markers of prognostic value and may inform clinical decision-making in the future.

Keywords: Brain trauma; Computed tomography; Glasgow outcome scale; Magnetic resonance; Prognostic imaging.