No other condition fully replicates the imaging findings of nonaccidental abuse.
Entities which may deceive us include:
Variations in
suture anatomy, myelination patterns.
Different
appearances of normal anatomy (particularly infants)
Coagulapathies
(such as von Willenbrands and hemophilia).
Metabolic disorders (especially Glutaric
Aciduria Type I and Hemophagocytic Lymphohistocytosis)
Accidental and
Birth Trauma and
Other Disease
States (i.e. meningitis or malignancy)
There is debate over the importance of SDHs and retinal hemorrhage in abuse.
Especially controversial is the association of benign external hydrocephalus
and global hypoxia as a cause of SDH and retinal hemorrhages w/o trauma.