PURPOSE: To study apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps in severely brain-injured patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four deeply comatose patients with severe brain injury were investigated with single-shot, diffusion-weighted, spin-echo echoplanar imaging. The tetrahedral diffusion gradient configuration and four iterations of a set of b-values (one time of 0 mm2/s, and four times of 1000 mm2/s) were used to create isotropic ADC maps with high signal-to-noise ratio. ADC values of gray and white matter were compared among patients and 4 reference subjects. RESULTS: One patient was diagnosed as clinically brain dead after the MR examination. The patient's ADC values of gray and white matter were significantly lower than those of 3 other brain-injured patients. In addition the ADC value of white matter was significantly lower than that of gray matter. CONCLUSION: The patient with fatal outcome shortly after MR examination differed significantly from other patients with severe brain injury but non-fatal outcome, with regard to ADC values in gray and white matter. This might indicate a prognostic value of ADC maps in the evaluation of traumatic brain injury.
PURPOSE: To study apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps in severely brain-injured patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four deeply comatose patients with severe brain injury were investigated with single-shot, diffusion-weighted, spin-echo echoplanar imaging. The tetrahedral diffusion gradient configuration and four iterations of a set of b-values (one time of 0 mm2/s, and four times of 1000 mm2/s) were used to create isotropic ADC maps with high signal-to-noise ratio. ADC values of gray and white matter were compared among patients and 4 reference subjects. RESULTS: One patient was diagnosed as clinically brain dead after the MR examination. The patient's ADC values of gray and white matter were significantly lower than those of 3 other brain-injured patients. In addition the ADC value of white matter was significantly lower than that of gray matter. CONCLUSION: The patient with fatal outcome shortly after MR examination differed significantly from other patients with severe brain injury but non-fatal outcome, with regard to ADC values in gray and white matter. This might indicate a prognostic value of ADC maps in the evaluation of traumatic brain injury.
Authors: Brian L Edlow; Joseph T Giacino; Ronald E Hirschberg; Jason Gerrard; Ona Wu; Leigh R Hochberg Journal: Neurocrit Care Date: 2013-12 Impact factor: 3.210
Authors: Kathirkamanathan Shanmuganathan; Rao P Gullapalli; Stuart E Mirvis; Steven Roys; Prasad Murthy Journal: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol Date: 2004-04 Impact factor: 3.825