A method and system for automated real time interpretation of brain waves in an acute brain injury of a patient using correlations between brain wave frequency power ratio and wave morphology, determined by a measure of the rhythmicity and variability of the brain wave as a function of the slope of the brain wave upstroke, the arc of the brain wave, and the synchronicity of the brain wave. A system is provided with a central processing unit (16), an electroencephalogram acquisition unit (18), a reference database (24), a quantitative electroencephalogram analysis program (14), and a display device (26) for communicating the classification of the acquired electroencephalographic signals. Artifact rejection is also provided.