The imaging diagnosis and prognosis assessment of patients with midbrain injury in the acute phase of craniocerebral injury

Abstract

We prospectively studied the difference between head CT and MRI in the detection of midbrain injury at the acute stage, the characteristics of MRS in the midbrain, and its relationship to the prognosis. The aim of this study is to propose the imaging diagnosis and outcome assessment indicators for midbrain injury. According to the clinical diagnosis standard, 22 patients with midbrain injury were chosen as a midbrain injury group,and 20 cases with craniocerebral injury without brain stem injury as the control group,10 normal adult volunteers as the normal control group. CT was performed on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 respectively,and MRI and MRS within 7 days post-injury. All patients were followed up for 6 months post-injury. The positive diagnosis rate of 63.64% in MRI for midbrain injury was significantly higher than that of 13.63% found in CT. MRI showed that the location of the midbrain injury was closely associated with prognosis. The reduction of NAA/Cr or NAA/Cho ratio was more obvious and the prognosis of the patients poorer. Midbrain injury can be diagnosed more clearly and its severity or prognosis could also be evaluated by MRI and MRS. © 2012 Springer-Verlag/Wien.