The role of caudate nucleus and corpus callosum atrophy in trauma-induced anterior horn dilation.
Day-of-injury computerized tomography (CT) scans were compared to post-injury (at least 6 weeks) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of 30 traumatic brain-injured (TBI) patients. Scans were matched as closely as possible at the head of the caudate nucleus (CN), a grey matter structure, and the anterior horns (AH) of the lateral ventricle. The CN and AH surface areas and width of the corpus callosum (CC), a white-matter structure, were measured. Results demonstrated a non-significant change in CN surface area, while AH showed a significant increase. CC showed a significant decrease in width. Lack of significant change in the CN, combined with a significant decrease in CC width, suggests that AH dilation is probably due to surrounding white as opposed to grey-matter atrophy.
Anderson
C V
CV
Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602.
Bigler
E D
ED
D001284:Atrophy; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000473:pathology*; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology*; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000473:pathology; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000502:physiology; D011699:Putamen / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed