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MRI or not to MRI! Should brain MRI be a routine investigation in children with autistic spectrum disorders?

Adel M Zeglam1, Marwa F Al-Ogab, Thouraya Al-Shaftery

  • 1Al-Khadra Teaching Hospital, Tripoli, Libya, adelzeglam@Gmail.com.

Acta Neurologica Belgica
|October 27, 2014
PubMed

Insights

This study found a 3.3% rate of brain abnormalities in children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) undergoing MRI scans. These findings highlight the importance of neuroimaging in understanding ASD pathogenesis.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pediatric Radiology
  • Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

  • Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition.
  • Routine brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) usage and abnormality rates in children with ASD in Libya are not well-established.
  • Understanding neurobiological underpinnings is crucial for ASD research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the utilization of brain MRI in children diagnosed with ASD at a specific clinic in Tripoli, Libya.
  • To determine the prevalence of detectable brain abnormalities in this pediatric population.
  • To contribute data to the broader understanding of ASD's neurobiological correlates.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of medical records for children with ASD at Al-Khadra Hospital's Neurodevelopment Clinic (NDC-KH) from January 2009 to December 2012.
  • Analysis of brain MRI scans (1.5-T Philips, 3-D T1, T2, FLAIR sequences) performed on these children.
  • Classification of MRI findings as normal, abnormal, or no significant abnormalities by a consultant neuroradiologist.

Main Results:

  • Out of 1075 children with ASD, 782 (72.7%) underwent brain MRI.
  • A total of 26 children (3.3%) exhibited MRI abnormalities, including leukodystrophic changes, periventricular leukomalacia, brain atrophy, tuberous sclerosis, vascular changes, pineoblastoma, cerebellar angioma, cerebellar hypoplasia, and agenesis of the corpus callosum.
  • The majority of children who underwent MRI were male (71%).

Conclusions:

  • This study reports a significant rate of brain abnormalities (3.3%) in children with ASD in Tripoli, Libya, based on clinical MRI investigations.
  • The findings suggest that neuroimaging may reveal structural anomalies in a subset of children with ASD.
  • Further research into the pathogenesis of ASD is warranted, potentially incorporating neuroimaging data.

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