A Neuropathological Study of Diffuse Vascular Injury in Fatal Motor Vehicle Collisions

In Canada, 42 929 people were involved in fatal motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) between 1999 and 2018. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), including diffuse vascular injury (DVI), were the most frequent cause of death. The neuroanatomical injury pattern and severity of DVI in relation to data on MVC dynamics and other MVC factors were the focus of the current study. Five cases of fatal MVCs investigated by Western University's Motor Vehicle Safety (MOVES) Research Team with the neuropathological diagnosis of DVI were reviewed. DVI was seen in single and multiple vehicle collisions, with/without rollover and with/without partial occupant ejection. DVI occurred regardless of seatbelt use and airbag deployment and in vehicles equipped with/without antilock brakes. All DVI cases sustained head impacts and had focal TBIs, including basal skull fractures and subarachnoid hemorrhages. DVI was seen in MVCs that ranged in severity based on the change in velocity (delta-V) during the crash (minimum 31 km/hour) and occupant compartment intrusion (minimum 25 cm). In all cases, DVI in frontal white matter, corpus callosum and pontine tegmentum were common. In cases with more extensive DVI, pronounced vehicle rotation occurred before the final impact. Extensive DVI was seen in drivers who experienced sudden acceleration during vehicle rotation and deceleration.