Cerebral contusions and cerebral lacerations are bruises of brain tissue. They are caused when a sudden physical assault to the head occurs from direct impact or shaking of the brain within the confines of the skull, an injury called coup-contrecoup. Damage is done to major blood vessels resulting in heavy bleeding in 20 to 30% of severe head injuries. 

 

Smaller, micro-hemorrhages of small blood vessels may leak into brain tissue in less severe brain injuries. These contusions are likely to heal on their own. A type of diffuse brain injury results in multiple petechial hemorrhages which are not always visible using commonly used imaging techniques like CT and standard MRI’s. 

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Cerebral contusions present a danger to the brain through increased swelling and intracranial pressure.