White Matter Hyperintensities on High-Resolution 3-T MRI: Frequency in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Associations
Manoj Tanwar1, Eric Miller2, Apostolos J Tsiouris3
1Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology
|February 19, 2025
Summary
White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) on MRI did not differ between mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) patients and controls. These WMHs also showed no association with clinical markers of mTBI, suggesting they are not useful biomarkers.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) lacks objective biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis.
- White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) on T2-weighted MRI are explored as potential biomarkers for mTBI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare WMHs on high-resolution 3-T MRI between individuals with and without mTBI.
- To assess the association of WMHs with clinical markers of mTBI.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study comparing mTBI patients and matched controls using 3-T MRI.
- Clinical assessments included Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptom Questionnaires (RPQ-3, RPQ-13) and Balance Error Scoring System (BESS).
- Neuroradiologists reviewed FLAIR MRI sequences for WMH presence and abnormality.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in the presence of WMHs or abnormal WMHs between mTBI and control groups.
- WMHs and abnormal WMHs were not associated with RPQ-3, RPQ-13, or BESS scores in the mTBI group.
- Prevalence of WMHs was 34% in mTBI and 35% in controls; abnormal WMHs were present in 40% and 35% of those with WMHs, respectively.
Conclusions:
- WMHs do not show significant differences between mTBI and control groups.
- WMHs are not associated with clinical markers of mTBI, limiting their utility as biomarkers.
- Current findings do not support the use of WMHs as a diagnostic or prognostic marker for mTBI.
