Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 87, Issue 12, Supplement , Pages 50-58, December 2006

Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging and Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Assessment of Outcome After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

  • Stephen Ashwal, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, Division of Child Neurology, Section of Neuroradiology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to Stephen Ashwal, MD, Dept of Pediatrics, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, 11175 Campus St, Loma Linda, CA 92350
    • ,
  • Talin Babikian, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Clinical Psychology, Section of Neuroradiology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA
    • ,
  • Joy Gardner-Nichols, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Clinical Psychology, Section of Neuroradiology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA
    • ,
  • Mary-Catherine Freier, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Clinical Psychology, Section of Neuroradiology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA
    • ,
  • Karen A. Tong, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Radiology, Section of Neuroradiology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA
    • ,
  • Barbara A. Holshouser, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Radiology, Section of Neuroradiology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA

Abstract 

Ashwal S, Babikian T, Gardner-Nichols J, Freier M-C, Tong KA, Holshouser BA. Susceptibility-weighted imaging and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in assessment of outcome after pediatric traumatic brain injury.

Objective

To assess the role of magnetic resonance imaging, specifically magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), in the evaluation of children with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Data Sources

Literature review and data from our recently published clinical studies.

Study Selection

Children with pediatric TBI who underwent SWI. SWI is a 3-dimensional high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging technique that is more sensitive in detecting hemorrhagic lesions seen with diffuse axonal injury (DAI) than conventional imaging. MRS acquires metabolite information that reflects neuronal integrity and function from multiple brain regions and offers early prognostic information regarding outcome.

Data Extraction

Literature review.

Data Synthesis

Literature review and review of recently published data from our institution.

Conclusions

The data suggest that more sensitive imaging techniques that provide early evidence of injury and that are better predictors of outcome are needed to identify children at risk for such deficits. Specifically, the number and volume of hemorrhagic DAI lesions as well as changes in spectral metabolites such as reduced N-acetylaspartate or elevations in choline-related compounds correlate with neurologic disability and impairments of global intelligence, memory, and attention.

Key Words: Brain injuries, Magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Pediatrics, Rehabilitation

 

 No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the author(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated.

PII: S0003-9993(06)01280-9

doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2006.07.275

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 87, Issue 12, Supplement , Pages 50-58, December 2006

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