Application value of delayed contrast enhancement-T2-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery in traumatic brain injury

Exploring the diagnostic value of the contrast-enhanced delayed enhancement-T2-fluid attenuation inversion recovery sequence (CE-T2-FLAIR) in traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Clinical and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of 30 patients with brain trauma who met the inclusion criteria were retrospectively collected, and the MRI images were classified into three groups: the MRI plain scan group, the contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging (CE-T1WI) group, and the delayed CE-T2-FLAIR group. The chi-square test was employed to analyze the differences among the three groups of images in terms of MRI-detected cerebral contusion and laceration, intracranial hematoma, and the number of positive imaging findings. The chi-square test was also used to analyze the differences among the three groups of images in terms of the presentation of cerebral contusion and laceration, intracranial hematoma, and the number of positive imaging results. The paired-samples t-test was utilized to analyze whether there were statistical differences in the meningeal enhancement scores, meningeal Enhancement Index (EI), and meningeal Normalized Signal Intensity (NSI) between delayed CE-T2-FLAIR and CE-T1WI. Spearman's rank correlation analysis was conducted to explore the correlations between the meningeal enhancement scores, meningeal EI, meningeal NSI from the two enhanced examinations and clinical symptoms, cerebral contusion and laceration, as well as intracranial hematoma.

The number of positive imaging findings in the delayed CE-T2-FLAIR group was higher than that in the MRI plain scan group and the CE-T1WI group (p < 0.05). The meningeal enhancement score, meningeal EI, and meningeal NSI in the delayed CE-T2-FLAIR group were higher than those in the CE-T1WI group (p < 0.05). The meningeal enhancement scores of both delayed CE-T2-FLAIR and CE-T1WI were positively correlated with headache, cerebral contusion and laceration, and subdural hemorrhage (p < 0.05). The meningeal EI of delayed CE-T2-FLAIR was positively correlated with transient loss of consciousness and subdural hemorrhage (p < 0.05), while there was no correlation between the meningeal NSI of delayed CE-T2-FLAIR and transient loss of consciousness or subdural hemorrhage (p > 0.05). There was no significant correlation between the meningeal EI, meningeal NSI of CE-T1WI and clinical manifestations, cerebral contusion and laceration, or intracranial hematoma (p > 0.05).

Compared with MRI plain scan and CE-T1WI, delayed CE-T2-FLAIR has more advantages in TBI.