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Published on: November 17, 2020
Brain volumetric changes in pediatric seronegative autoimmune encephalitis: A case-control study.
Adnan Deniz1, Törehan Özer2, Sibel Balcı3
1Department of Pediatric Neurology, Kocaeli City Hospital, Kocaeli, Türkiye.
Journal of Neuroimmunology
|June 20, 2026
Summary
Pediatric seronegative autoimmune encephalitis (SNAE) shows reduced brain volumes, particularly in the putamen and pallidum, detected via automated MRI volumetry. These quantitative findings aid in diagnosing this rare neurological condition.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Seronegative autoimmune encephalitis (SNAE) is an emerging neurological disorder in children.
- Quantitative neuroimaging data for pediatric SNAE are limited, hindering diagnosis and understanding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess regional brain volumetric differences in children with SNAE compared to healthy controls.
- To evaluate the diagnostic potential of automated MRI volumetry in pediatric SNAE.
Main Methods:
- Utilized automated MRI volumetry (volBrain pipeline) on 3D T1-weighted scans.
- Compared brain volumes (whole brain, grey/white matter, subcortical structures) between 15 pediatric SNAE patients and 45 controls.
- Performed Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to assess discriminative performance.
Main Results:
- SNAE patients exhibited significantly lower absolute grey matter, thalamus, putamen, and pallidum volumes.
- After intracranial volume normalization, only putamen and pallidum volumes remained significantly reduced.
- Putamen and pallidum volumes showed significant discriminative performance in ROC analyses.
Conclusions:
- Automated brain volumetry offers valuable quantitative insights for pediatric SNAE, complementing standard MRI.
- Further research is necessary to confirm the clinical utility of these volumetric findings in SNAE management.
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