Canadian Association of Radiologists journal = Journal l'Association canadienne des radiologistes
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In the intensive care unit (ICU), prognosticating patients who are comatose or defining brain death can be challenging. Currently, the criteria for brain death are clinical supported by paraclinical tests. Noncontrast computed tomography (CT) shows diffuse loss of grey-white differentiation consistent with infarction. We hypothesize that the extent of hypodensity is predictive of poor neurologic outcome or brain death. ⋯ Diffuse loss of grey-white matter differentiation is subtle but specific for poor neurologic outcome, which may allow earlier prognostication of patients in whom clinical parameters are difficult to assess.