[Headache occurrence and assessment of regional blood flow after brain concussion in children]
Małgorzata Lemka1, Bogna Brockhuis, Piotr Lass
1Klinika Neurologii Rozwojowej Katedro Neurologii, Akademia Medyczna w Gdańsku. mlemka@amg.gda.pl
Insights
Children experiencing persistent headaches after head injuries may have impaired regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). Single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) can identify these blood flow issues, aiding in understanding post-traumatic complaints.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Neuroimaging
- Traumatic brain injury
Background:
- Headaches are common after pediatric closed head injuries, sometimes lasting years.
- Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) assessment using SPECT can detect nervous tissue damage from trauma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate rCBF changes 10-15 days, 3 months, and 1 year after pediatric brain concussion.
- To determine if altered rCBF correlates with the development of post-traumatic headaches.
Main Methods:
- SPECT imaging was performed on 32 children (aged 6-16) at specific intervals post-concussion.
- Standard CT and MRI scans showed no abnormalities in the study group.
Main Results:
- Early post-trauma, 21 children showed rCBF impairment, predominantly in frontal regions.
- One year later, rCBF normalized in 10 children, with improvement in 11 others.
- Three of four children with persistent headaches at one year still exhibited blood flow impairment.
Conclusions:
- SPECT is a sensitive tool for assessing head trauma consequences in children.
- SPECT imaging can help explain persistent post-traumatic symptoms like headaches.
Background And Purpose:
Headaches which can last for many months and even years belong to the most frequent consequences of closed head injuries in children. The method which makes it possible to demonstrate the presence and extent of the nervous tissue damage caused by trauma is the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) evaluation with single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT). In the present study the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was assessed 10-15 days after trauma, 3 months and one year in cases of brain concussion. We tried to establish whether there was a correlation between changes in rCBF and the occurrence of posttraumatic headache.
Material And Methods:
SPECT was applied in 32 children, aged 6-16, 10-15 days, and then 3 and 12 months after brain concussion. In all children no changes were found in CT and MRI examinations.
Results:
In the studied group in the early period after trauma, blood flow impairment was found in 21 children, mostly in frontal areas. One year after trauma the rCBF improved in 11 children, in 10 cases the pattern was normal. In a group of 4 children with headache one year after brain concussion, three of them still presented the impairment of blood flow.
Conclusions:
SPECT shows a great sensitivity and usefulness in the assessment of consequences of head trauma and it can explain some posttraumatic complaints in children.
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