Evaluation of the prognosis of acute subdural hematoma according to the density differences between gray and white matter

Objective Acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) is a common neurological emergency, and its appearance on head-computed tomographic (CT) imaging helps guide clinical treatment. To provide a basis for clinical decision-making, we analyzed that the density difference between the gray and white matter of the CT image is associated with the prognosis of patients with ASDH. Methods We analyzed the data of 194 patients who had ASDH as a result of closed traumatic brain injury (TBI) between 2018 and 2021. The patients were subdivided into surgical and non-surgical groups, and the non-surgical group was further subdivided into “diffused [hematoma]” and “non-diffused” groups. The control group's CT scans were normal. The 3D Slicer software was used to quantitatively analyze the density of gray and white matter depicted in the CT images. Results Imaging evaluation showed that the median difference in density between the gray and white matter on the injured side was 4.12 HU (IQR, 3.91–4.22 HU; p < 0.001) and on the non-injured side was 4.07 HU (IQR, 3.90–4.19 HU; p < 0.001), and the hematoma needs to be surgically removed. The median density difference value of the gray and white matter on the injured side was 3.74 HU (IQR, 3.53–4.01 HU; p < 0.001) and on the non-injured side was 3.71 HU (IQR, 3.69–3.73 HU; p < 0.001), and the hematoma could diffuse in a short time. Conclusion Quantitative analysis of the density differences in the gray and white matter of the CT images can be used to evaluate the clinical prognosis of patients with ASDH.