A bruise of brain tissue following trauma is called what?

• A. Edema
• B. Contusion
• C. Hematoma
• D. Laceration

Answer: (B)

A bruise of brain tissue after trauma is a contusion. This term refers to bleeding into the brain tissue itself, causing a localized area of bruising within the parenchyma. It happens when small vessels rupture during impact, often at the site of contact or opposite the impact (coup-contrecoup). Edema describes swelling from fluid accumulation and can accompany a brain injury but is not the bruising of tissue. A hematoma is a collection of blood in a space, such as between the skull and brain or within a brain region, whereas a contusion is tissue-level bruising inside the brain. A laceration means tearing of brain tissue, which is a different type of injury. So the bruised tissue definitively fits contusion.