Diagnosis of severe traumatic brain injury using multimodal imaging in a donkey

A 6-month-old donkey presented with recumbency after rearing and falling over. A presumptive diagnosis of traumatic brain injury secondary to a skull fracture was made following the clinical examination, although a fracture could not be identified on radiography. To provide a definitive diagnosis, for planning any surgical intervention and to obtain prognostic information, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were performed. An occipital depression skull fracture with secondary haemorrhage and oedema of the cerebellum and brainstem were identified. The imaging findings were confirmed at pathological examination. This report describes the imaging features of a traumatic brain injury in a donkey.