An epidural hematoma is bleeding between the skull and the outer covering of the brain, often after head trauma.
Symptoms may include severe headache, vomiting, confusion, drowsiness, weakness, seizures, or a brief loss of consciousness followed by seeming better and then getting worse.
Imaging helps confirm that blood is collecting outside the brain, show how large it is, and reveal whether it is pressing dangerously on the brain.
CT is the key emergency imaging test because it quickly shows the collection and any pressure effect on the brain.
This can be a neurosurgical emergency and may require urgent monitoring or surgical evacuation.
This entry explains the condition. The next step is having a radiologist interpret your specific scan, not a general definition.
