Hypoxic Brain Injury

This patient attempted suicide by hanging. Generalised cerebral hypoxia preferentially injures and infarcts the more metabolically active areas of the brain - including the basal ganglia, hippocampi and cerebral cortex (layers 3, 5 and 6) - and may cause diffuse cytotoxic oedema.
The CT of this patient shows low density in the globus pallidi and subtle low density in the hippocampi posteriorly. There is also generalised decreased density and loss of grey-white differentiation in the supratentorial brain due to oedema, with relative hyperdensity of the cerebellum (dense cerebellum sign).
See also this case.
Reference: Castillo, M. Neuroradiology Companion, J.B. Lippincott Company, 1995.
Credit: Dr Donna D'Souza
http://www.radpod.org