Neuro-Imaging Changes in Cerebral Palsy: A Cross Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Radiology
• Developmental Neuroscience

Background:

• Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common childhood physical disability, resulting from brain lesions affecting movement and posture.
• Neuroimaging is a recommended standard for evaluating children diagnosed with CP.
• Understanding neuroimaging patterns is crucial for diagnosing CP and identifying its underlying causes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency and patterns of neuroimaging findings in children diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
• To correlate neuroimaging results with CP types and patient demographics.
• To assess the utility of CT scans in identifying CP-related brain abnormalities.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 130 children diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
• Data collected through clinical assessment, history, and neurodevelopmental evaluation.
• All participants underwent a CT scan of the brain at a tertiary care hospital.

Main Results:

• 84.7% of CP patients exhibited cerebral neuroimaging abnormalities on CT scans.
• The most frequent findings were diffuse cortical atrophy (46.9%) and encephalomalacic changes (19.9%).
• Spastic quadriplegic CP was the most common type, frequently associated with diffuse cerebral atrophy and encephalomalacic changes.

Conclusions:

• Neuroimaging, particularly CT scans, reveals significant abnormalities in the majority of children with cerebral palsy.
• Diffuse cerebral atrophy and encephalomalacic changes are common findings, especially in quadriplegic CP.
• While CP diagnosis is clinical, neuroimaging enhances understanding of neuro-anatomical basis, etiology, and motor impairments.