title: Functional MR imaging assessment of a non-responsive brain injured patient.
abstract: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was requested to assist in the evaluation of a comatose 38-year-old woman who had sustained multiple cerebral contusions from a motor vehicle accident. Previous electrophysiologic studies suggested absence of thalamocortical processing in response to median nerve stimulation. Whole-brain fMRI was performed utilizing visual, somatosensory, and auditory stimulation paradigms. Results demonstrated intact task-correlated sensory and cognitive blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) hemodynamic response to stimuli. Electrodiagnostic studies were repeated and evoked potentials indicated supratentorial recovery in the cerebrum. At 3-months post trauma the patient had recovered many cognitive & sensorimotor functions, accurately reflecting the prognostic fMRI evaluation. These results indicate that fMRI examinations may provide a useful evaluation for brain function in non-responsive brain trauma patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA. cmoritz@mail.radiology.wisc.edu
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Moritz
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Rowley
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Haughton
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Swartz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Badie
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D020207:Coma, Post-Head Injury / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011379:Prognosis