Cerebral edema and neurointensive care.

Cerebral edema may be vasogenic or cytoxic, and its main significance is raised intracranial pressure. Vasogenic edema results from damage to the blood vessel wall. The hallmark of cytotoxic edema is intracellular accumulation of fluid which occurs because of the exposure of the cells of the brain to toxic substances. Few diagnostic tests will document edema; the best is presently the CAT scan.