Final answer:
Disorders of consciousness refer to altered states of wakefulness and awareness. Brain imaging can differentiate these disorders by measuring brain activity patterns.
Step-by-step explanation:
Disorders of consciousness refer to conditions where there is an altered state of consciousness or a loss of normal wakefulness and awareness. Some common disorders of consciousness include coma, vegetative state, and locked-in syndrome. Brain imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can help differentiate these disorders by measuring brain activity patterns. For example, fMRI can show different patterns of brain activity in a person in a coma compared to someone in a vegetative state, helping to distinguish between the two.