Brain injury dating via histological examination of vascular changes in parenchymal tissue: A pilot study

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a complex multidisciplinary medical, biological, and social issue due to its persistently high mortality and disability rates, particularly among individuals of working age. Determining the survival interval following a TBI is often of medicolegal significance, requiring targeted tissue sampling and histological evaluation. Neuronal and vascular changes observed in injured brain tissue can provide valuable insights into the timing of the injury. Aims & Objectives: To estimate the timing of traumatic brain injury based on vascular changes observed through histological examination. Methods: This study included cases of TBI with varying survival intervals alongside non-injured controls. Macroscopic examination of brain specimens was performed during autopsy, followed by histological analysis of harvested brain tissue. Tissue sections were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin and examined under a light microscope. Conclusion: Histological analysis is a valuable tool for complementing macroscopic diagnoses, especially when gross evidence of intracranial trauma is absent. It can also distinguish traumatic from non-traumatic lesions and assist in estimating the survival interval after a head injury. This information can be crucial in medicolegal investigations, as the biological time of death may not always align with the legal time of death.