A 52-year-old man is brought to the emergency room 2 hours after being involved in an automobile accident. The patient denies striking his head, although his head was thrust forward and backward. His...

A 52-year-old man is brought to the emergency room 2 hours after being involved in an automobile accident. The patient denies striking his head, although his head was thrust forward and backward. His vital signs are normal, and he returns home. The following day, the patient’s wife notices that he is lethargic. By the time the ambulance arrives at the emergency room, the patient is comatose. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the decline in mental status in this patient?

(A) Diffuse axonal injury

(B) Duret hemorrhages

(C) Ruptured saccular aneurysm

(D) Spinal cord contusions

(E) Watershed infarcts