Abstract: The haematoma in the region of the basal ganglia can becaused either dircctly from head injury or from the hypertension induced by minor head injury. Two typical cases of BGH are reported and the literature reviewed. Traumat.ic isolated BGH with diffuse brain damage is a primary injury.MRI maybe useful for such patients, whereas CTscan may fail to demonstrate for diffuse brain damageThe clinical differential points between traumatic and hypertensive BGH, and the forensic medical significance arediscussed.

Key words: basal ganglia haematoma, injury and by.pcrtension, forensic clinical significance