Effect of Intracerebral Lesions Detected in Early MRI on Outcome After Acute Brain Injury

In the present study we classified intracerebral lesions likely to influence the outcome of head injured patients according to localization, lesion type, lesion number and lesion volume. A score of intracerebral lesions based on findings in early MRI is p

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Effect of Intracerebral Lesions Detected in Early MRI on Outcome After Acute Brain Injury B. M. Hoelpert, F. Soldnert, L. ChomF, and T. Wallenfang 1 1 Department 2 Institute

of Neurosurgery, City Hospital Fulda, Germany of Radiology, City Hospital Fulda, Germany

Summary In the present study we classified intracerebral lesions likely to influence the outcome of head injured patients according to localization, lesion type, lesion number and lesion volume. A score of intracerebrallesions based on findings in early MRI is presented. Early MRI studies were performed in 30 patients (average 5-6 days after trauma) and outcome (GOS) was determined after 3 and 12 months. Lesions were classified and lesion volume V was calculated (V = 7tabc/6). The applied intracerebral lesion score included lesions in the frontal cortex, basal ganglia, corpus callosum and brainstem. Patients in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) showed a higher number (p = 0.018) and volume (p = 0.013) of frontal lesions as compared to the non-vegetative group (NPVS). Lesion volume in basal ganglia differed significantly between PVS and NPVS (p = 0.01) and correlated to outcome (r = -0.65, p < 0.005). Volume difference in the corpus callosum between PVS and NPVS was significant (p = 0.02). The number (r = -0.61, p < 0.(05) and volume (r = -0.62, p < 0.005) of brainstem lesions correlated to outcome and PVS differed in number (p = 0.012) and volume (p = 0.006). The intracerebral lesion score correlated to the GOS (r = -0.57, p = 0.(01) and PVS and NPVS differed significantly. A lesion volume exceeding 40 mI in the frontal cortex, 3.5 mI in the basal ganglia, 4 ml in the corpus callosum or 1.5 ml in the brainstem is likely to lead to an unfavorable outcome. More than 4 lesions in the frontal cortex or 3 lesions in the brainstem appeared more frequent in patients with unfavorable outcome. Treatment strategies in the early phase after brain injury could be modified by the knowledge of certain lesions only visible on MRI.

Keywords: Human traumatic brain injury; diffuse axonal injury; contusion; corpus callosum; brainstem; intracerebral lesion score; magnetic resonance imaging.

[2,4, 5, 9, 10]. These lesions might affect the outcome of patients after brain injury [3, 7, 8] and thus MRI becomes more important in the diagnosis of traumatic brain injury. We report an analysis of the impact of intracerebral lesions, which were determined by volume and number of lesions in early MRI and/or CT, on the outcome of 30 patients after human traumatic brain injury. Based on anatomical and radiological classifications, we suggest an intracerebral lesion score that combines multiple lesions and enables correlation to the outcome. Patients and Methods In 30 patients early MRI studies were performed on the average of 5-6 days after trauma. Mass lesions were evacuated immediately and all patients received ICP directed management according to a standardized protocol. The clinical outcome (GOS) was determined 3 and 12 months after trauma [6]. Lesions were classified according t