Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping after Sports-Related Concussion. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2018 Jul;39(7):1215-1221
Date
06/09/2018Pubmed ID
29880474Pubmed Central ID
PMC6055518DOI
10.3174/ajnr.A5692Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85049830789 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 15 CitationsAbstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Quantitative susceptibility mapping using MR imaging can assess changes in brain tissue structure and composition. This report presents preliminary results demonstrating changes in tissue magnetic susceptibility after sports-related concussion.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Longitudinal quantitative susceptibility mapping metrics were produced from imaging data acquired from cohorts of concussed and control football athletes. One hundred thirty-six quantitative susceptibility mapping datasets were analyzed across 3 separate visits (24 hours after injury, 8 days postinjury, and 6 months postinjury). Longitudinal quantitative susceptibility mapping group analyses were performed on stability-thresholded brain tissue compartments and selected subregions. Clinical concussion metrics were also measured longitudinally in both cohorts and compared with the measured quantitative susceptibility mapping.
RESULTS: Statistically significant increases in white matter susceptibility were identified in the concussed athlete group during the acute (24 hour) and subacute (day 8) period. These effects were most prominent at the 8-day visit but recovered and showed no significant difference from controls at the 6-month visit. The subcortical gray matter showed no statistically significant group differences. Observed susceptibility changes after concussion appeared to outlast self-reported clinical recovery metrics at a group level. At an individual subject level, susceptibility increases within the white matter showed statistically significant correlations with return-to-play durations.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this preliminary investigation suggest that sports-related concussion can induce physiologic changes to brain tissue that can be detected using MR imaging-based magnetic susceptibility estimates. In group analyses, the observed tissue changes appear to persist beyond those detected on clinical outcome assessments and were associated with return-to-play duration after sports-related concussion.
Author List
Koch KM, Meier TB, Karr R, Nencka AS, Muftuler LT, McCrea MAuthors
Kevin M. Koch PhD Center Director, Professor in the Radiology department at Medical College of WisconsinMichael McCrea PhD Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Timothy B. Meier PhD Associate Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Lutfi Tugan Muftuler PhD Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Andrew S. Nencka PhD Director, Associate Professor in the Radiology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAthletic Injuries
Brain Concussion
Football
Humans
Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted
Longitudinal Studies
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Neuroimaging
White Matter
