Quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging shows widespread blood-brain barrier disruption in mild traumatic brain injury patients with post-concussion syndrome
Abstract
Objectives
To explore the utility of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MR imaging for quantitative analysis of blood-brain barrier disruption in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) patients with post-concussion syndrome (PCS).
Methods
Forty-four consecutive patients with PCS after mTBI and 32 controls were included in this retrospective study. Ktrans and ve from DCE MR imaging were analyzed at contrast-enhancing lesions, T2 hyperintense white matter (WM) lesions, normal-appearing white matter (NAWM), and predilection sites for diffuse axonal injury (LocationDAI). The Mann-Whitney U-test was performed to compare the parameters between mTBI patients and controls and the parameters were correlated with neuropsychological tests using Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman rank correlation.
Results
The median ve of the T2 hyperintense WM lesions in mTBI patients (n=21) was higher than that of NAWM in controls (p=.027). Both median Ktrans and ve at NAWM were also significantly higher in mTBI patients than in controls (p=.023 and p=.029, respectively). In addition, mTBI patients had higher Ktrans and ve at LocationDAI than controls (p=.008 and p=.015, respectively). VLT (delayed recall) scores were significantly correlated with ve values at T2 hyperintense WM lesions (p=−0.767, p=.044). The median ve at LocationDAI was significantly higher in patients with atypical performance in the digit span test (forward) than in those with average or good performance (p=.043).
Conclusions
mTBI patients with PCS had higher Ktrans and ve values than controls not only at T2 hyperintense WM lesions but also at NAWM and LocationDAI. BBB disruption may be implicated in development of PCS in mTBI patients.
Key Points
• mTBI patients with PCS had higher permeability than controls at T2 hyperintense WM lesions on DCE MR imaging.
• mTBI patients with PCS had higher permeability than controls also at NAWM and predilection sites for DAI.
• BBB disruption may be implicated in the development of PCS in mTBI patients.
Keywords
Blood-brain barrier Magnetic resonance imaging Perfusion Permeability Post-concussion syndrome (PCS)Abbreviations
- 3D
Three-dimensional
- BBB
Blood-brain barrier
- CNS
Central nervous system
- CNT
Computerized neurocognitive function tests
- CPT
Continuous performance test
- DAI
Diffuse axonal injury
- DCE
Dynamic contrast-enhanced
- DTI
Diffusion tensor imaging
- DWI
Diffusion-weighted imaging
- FLAIR
Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery
- FSPGR
Fast spoiled gradient echo
- IQR
Interquartile range
- mTBI
Mild TBI
- NAWM
Normal-appearing white matter
- PCS
Post-concussion syndrome
- ROC
Receiver operating characteristics
- RPQ
Rivermead post-concussion symptoms questionnaire
- SWI
Susceptibility-weighted imaging
- VLT
Verbal learning test
- WM
White matter
Notes
Funding
This study was supported by a grant from Bayer Healthcare, the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare of South Korea (HI16C1111), and by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (2016M3C7A1914002), by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (2017R1A2B2006526) and by the Ministry of Education (2017R1D1A1B04034838), by Creative-Pioneering Researchers Program through Seoul National University (SNU), and by Project Code (IBS-R006-D1).
Compliance with ethical standards
Guarantor
The scientific guarantor of this publication is Seung Hong Choi.
Conflict of interest
The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies, whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article.
Statistics and biometry
No complex statistical methods were necessary for this paper.
Informed consent
Written informed consent was waived by the Institutional Review Board.
Ethical approval
Institutional Review Board approval was obtained.
Methodology
• retrospective
• case-control study / cross sectional study / observational
• performed at one institution
Supplementary material
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