DAI
Medical abbreviation · Neurology
| Stands for | Diffuse axonal injury |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
DAI stands for Diffuse axonal injury, a neurology abbreviation.
Widespread shearing damage to nerve fibers caused by rapid rotational acceleration and deceleration of the head, as in high-speed crashes. Patients are often deeply unconscious despite a CT scan that looks nearly normal.
Example: Comatose after rollover crash with unremarkable CT; MRI SWI shows microbleeds in the corpus callosum and brainstem: grade III DAI.
Usage notes
MRI, especially susceptibility-weighted imaging, shows small hemorrhages at the junction of gray and white matter, in the corpus callosum and in the brainstem; the Adams grading system classifies severity by these locations (grade I to III). Prognosis is worse with brainstem involvement. Shaken infants can sustain similar injuries.
Related abbreviations
More neurology abbreviations
- CP – Cerebral palsy
- CPP – Cerebral perfusion pressure
- CSC – Comprehensive stroke center
- CTE – Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
- CVA – Cerebrovascular accident
- CVST – Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis
- DBS – Deep brain stimulation
- DCI – Delayed cerebral ischemia
- DLB – Dementia with Lewy bodies
- DMD – Duchenne muscular dystrophy
- DMT – Disease-modifying therapy
- DTN – Door-to-needle time
See all 131 neurology abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.