Brain injury after cardiopulmonary arrest and its assessment with diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the frequency and pattern of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) abnormalities detected as part of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and their association with short-term neurologic outcomes in patients successfully resuscitated after cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA).


METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed a case series of patients who experienced CPA between May 1, 2000, and April 29, 2004, at St Luke's Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla. Eligible patients required treatment by the Code Blue team and had 1 DWI study before discharge or death. Two neuroradiologists jointly classified DWI abnormalities by anatomic location. Outcome was measured by Cerebral Performance Category score.


RESULTS
Resuscitation was performed 628 times during the 48-month study period. Of 514 CPA survivors, 18 (3.5%) had MRI studies. The median age was 62 years (interquartile range [IQR], 49-73), and 10 were men. Median code duration was 16 minutes (IQR, 11-19 minutes), and median code-to-scan time was 72 hours (IQR, 28-229 hours). A DWI abnormality was noted in 9 (50%) of 18 patients. Cortical areas (global and regional) were the most common sites of restricted diffusion. Diffusion-weighted imaging abnormalities were present in 7 (70%) of 10 patients with a poor neurologic outcome at discharge.


CONCLUSIONS
Magnetic resonance imaging is performed rarely after survival of CPA. In this study with limited sample size, a greater proportion of patients with normal DWI findings had a good neurologic outcome at the time of hospital discharge vs those with abnormal findings. Prospective studies of early and serial MRI (with DWI) are needed to confirm this association and to clarify the prognostic usefulness of such studies.
Barrett
Kevin M
KM
Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA.
Freeman
William D
WD
Weindling
Steven M
SM
Brott
Thomas G
TG
Broderick
Daniel F
DF
Heckman
Michael G
MG
Crook
Julia E
JE
Divertie
Gavin D
GD
Meschia
James F
JF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy