What medical tests are used and why?
When someone is in a coma, various tests are used to identify the kind of brain disturbance that has occurred. • Electrical activity can be tested with an electroencephalogram (EEG) which determines if the person is alert, awake or asleep. • A computerized tomography (CT) or computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan and magnetic resource imaging (MRI) reveal physical abnormalities through high quality, cross sectional views of body tissues. • The Glasgow and Rancho Los Amigos scales are behavioural tests which attempt to determine the depth of the coma state. • There is also a scale for children in coma.
