What type of intracranial injury is likely to be found on CT scan in a patient who sustained blunt head trauma and developed symptoms afterwards?

In the context of blunt head trauma, an epidural hematoma is characterized by a classic pattern observable on a CT scan. This type of injury typically occurs when an arterial vessel, often a branch of the middle meningeal artery, is ruptured due to the impact.

A hallmark feature of an epidural hematoma on imaging studies, particularly CT, is its biconvex, lens-shaped appearance that does not cross the suture lines of the cranial vault. This is due to the dural attachments at the sutures, which contain the bleeding to the area between the skull and the dura mater. Patients with epidural hematoma usually present with a lucid interval, meaning they may lose consciousness briefly after the injury but regain it, only to later deteriorate as the hematoma expands.

In contrast, other types of injuries mentioned have distinct characteristics and implications. Subdural hematomas are typically crescent-shaped and can cross suture lines, reflecting a venous bleed that arises from bridging veins. Contusions represent bruising of brain tissue and are more diffuse in nature, presenting as areas of hypodensity or mixed density on CT. Diffuse axonal injury results from high-velocity impacts causing shearing of brain structures, leading