ABSTRACT
A brain lesion can include a variety of diagnoses that pertain to an area of dysfunction anatomically or physiologically. This could include aneurysm, vascular malformation, tumor, infection, inflammation, hemorrhage, demyelination, traumatic lesion, or congenital cyst. This chapter presents various case study examples that help the reader to understand the principles of lesion localization as they relate to the clinical scenarios. Each example describes the patient's presenting symptoms, pertinent positives or negatives in the medical history, and relevant clinical examination findings; each also provides a corresponding radiographic magnetic resonance image (MRI) revealing the lesion. When nurses and advanced health-care providers understand the anatomy of where the patient's brain lesion exists, they can better understand the natural history of the suspected condition and the specific care needed for the patient given the patient's limitations. The knowledge of being able to apply the principles of lesion localization fosters a more comprehensive ability to care for the neurologically compromised patient.
