AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Mar 2013
Quantitative MRI analysis of craniofacial bone marrow in patients with sickle cell disease.
Assessment of bone marrow is most commonly performed qualitatively in the spine or other large long bones. The craniofacial bones are less ideal for bone marrow analysis because of the relatively small bone marrow volume. Because patients with SCD often undergo repeated brain imaging to evaluate for cerebral vaso-occlusive disease, quantitative assessment of craniofacial bone marrow is a reasonable possibility in these patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate specific sickle cell disease changes in craniofacial bone marrow quantitatively by analyzing T1, T2, and secular-T2 relaxation times and volume with the use of quantitative MRI. ⋯ Patients with SCD exhibited significant quantifiable changes in the craniofacial bone marrow because of failure of red-to-yellow marrow conversion and iron deposition that can be identified by qMRI relaxometry and volumetry. Both qMRI relaxometry and volumetry may be used as noninvasive tools for assessment of disease severity.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Mar 2013
Impaired default mode network on resting-state FMRI in children with medically refractory epilepsy.
Resting-state networks including the DMN have been shown to be abnormal in adults with temporal lobe epilepsy. However, little is known about the DMN in children with medically refractory epilepsy. The aim was to determine whether there was a difference in the DMN in children with medically refractory epilepsy relative to controls. ⋯ We have found reduced connectivity in the DMN in children with medically refractory epilepsy. Further studies are needed to determine whether different seizure types have different effects on the DMN and whether the impaired connectivity is related to cognitive functions subserved by the DMN.