Re: CAT scan -- fall or stroke?

"Mark Tarka" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Robert Solomon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> > In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] says...
> > > "Sparky" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> > > > "madiba" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> > > > news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > > > Mark Tarka <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > Anyone at all with a solution to the problem:
> > > > > > brain injury due to a fall as opposed to an
> > > > > > ischemic stroke -- is the answer correct --
> > > > > > "ischemic lesion looks (very) different to
> > > > > > the bleeding caused by a [ischemic] stroke"?
> > > > > Oh for Pete's sake it was a typo, get over it.
> > > > > If it wasn't for that attitude of yours I would have corrected it
sooner
> > > > > It should read:
> > > > > "the ischemic lesion looks (very) different to the bleeding caused
by a
> > > > > fall". Those were the only two lesions being compared in that
question.
> > > > > Are all chemists so pedantic?
> > > > > -- 
> > > > > madiba
> > > >
> > > > The simplest way to help differentiate these 2 conditions would be
to look
> > > > for the obvious - if there is new swelling of the scalp, or new # of
the
> > > > skull - and no other known pre-existing conditions - a person could
start to
> > > > lean towards the brain insult being of a traumatic nature.
> > > >
> > > > Just a thought...
> > > >
> > > >         Sparky
> > >
> > > An old woman, pushed, or falling, against a wall
> > > or to a carpeted floor from a standing position
> > > and with a lack of sufficient Vit. C (a.k.a.
> > > scurvey) might easily suffer bruising of the
> > > skin or brain...?  A doctor or nurse dealing
> > > with someone allegedly suffering from
> > > Alzheimer's would never know, right?
> > >
> > > Would a radiologist pick-up on the situation?
> >
> > I am a little confused as to what exactly is the situation in question?
>
> Yes, I wasn't precise enough with my words.
>
> This is a hypothetical situation.  An elderly
> person, standing, is pushed or falls to a
> carpeted floor hitting the head, is pushed or
> falls against a wall hitting the head, is pushed
> or falls and hits the head on a piece of padded
> furniture.

The ideal murder.

>
> No resulting sprains, fractures, or broken bones.
>
> At some later time, say for a regular doctor's
> visit, or even when a visiting nurse comes to
> the person's home, and the elderly person had
> been diagnosed as having Alzheimer's Disease,
> someone notes in the records that the patient
> seems worse (say, decreased cognitive function,
> or confusion).
>
> In the absense of a visible bruise on the skin
> or scalp, these professionals might miss any
> injury to the brain that could cause the elderly
> person's condition to worsen somewhat.

What if the medical examiner actually had a brain tumor himself missing the
obvious brain injury.  It has actually happened.

What if the elderly person actually tried to commit suicide.  How would that
show in an MRI.
Lets not leave out any and all possibilities here.

>
> Would a radiologist doing a CT be able to detect
> a minor injury to the brain and attribute it to
> a fall with enough confidence that a doctor could
> take appropriate action?
>
>
>   Mark