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MR imaging of the central nervous system in divers
1National Defense Medical College, Department of Traumatology and Critical Care Medicine, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.
Background:
Magnetic resonanse imaging (MRI) frequently reveals asymptomatic cerebral infarctions in the general population.
Hypothesis:
The central nervous system (CNS) of divers is affected by a hyperbaric environment even if they are asymptomatic.
Methods:
We examined 25 uniformed service divers by MRI and compared them with normal controls.
Results:
Of 25 divers, 9 had CNS lesions vs. 2 of 25 controls (p = 0.02). There was a significant relationship between the CNS lesions, age, and smoking.
Conclusion:
The divers had a risk of accumulating CNS lesions. These results suggested that divers should undergo periodic medical evaluations and MRI brain scanning.