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Semi-quantitative Assessment Using [18F]FDG Tracer in Patients with Severe Brain Injury
Published on: November 9, 2018
Brain atrophy evaluated by computed tomography in independent and institutionalized hip fracture patients
R Sakone1, J Pyhtinen, E Pääkkö
1Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital of Oulu, Kajaanintie, Finland.
Purpose:
To examine if there is an association between brain computed tomography (CT) findings and place of residence in a series of hip fracture patients.
Method:
The CT scans taken immediately after hip fracture of 215 patients (mean age 81.6 years) living in their own homes or otherwise independently (home-dwelling group) and 95 patients (mean age 82.5 years) permanently institutionalized (institutionalized group) were analysed.
Results:
The institutionalized patients had significantly more cortical cerebral (frontal, p = 0.004; temporal, p = 0.007; parietal, p < 0.001) and central cerebral (third ventricle width, p < 0.001; frontal horn width, p < 0.001; midbody width, p < 0.001) atrophy than the home-dwelling ones. This was also true of atrophy in the white-matter (WM) area (p < 0.001). The institutionalized patients also had more atrophy of the cerebellar hemisphere (atrophy of the cerebellopontine angle cistern, p = 0.002, greater fourth ventricle width, p = 0.020). No significant difference was seen in the incidence of brain infarcts.
Conclusions:
Hip fracture patients living in institutions have more brain atrophy than those living independently. The brain atrophy may be one factor in the multiple mechanism underlying their institutional admission.
