Progressive brain atrophy in patients with chronic neuropsychiatric symptoms after mild traumatic brain injury: a preliminary study.
BACKGROUND
NeuroQuant® is a recently developed, FDA-approved software program for measuring brain MRI volume in clinical settings. The aims of this study were as follows: (1) to examine the test-retest reliability of NeuroQuant®; (2) to test the hypothesis that patients with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) would have abnormally rapid progressive brain atrophy; and (3) to test the hypothesis that progressive brain atrophy in patients with mild TBI would be associated with vocational outcome.


METHODS
Sixteen patients with mild TBI were compared to 20 normal controls. Vocational outcome was assessed with the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) and Disability Rating Scale (DRS).


RESULTS
NeuroQuant® showed high test-re-test reliability. Patients had abnormally rapid progressive atrophy in several brain regions and the rate of atrophy was associated with inability to return to work.


CONCLUSIONS
NeuroQuant®, is a reliable and valid method for assessing the anatomic effects of TBI. Progression of atrophy may continue for years after injury, even in patients with mild TBI.
Virginia Institute of Neuropsychiatry, Midlothian, VA 23114, USA. dross@vaneuropsychiatry.org
David E
DE
Ross
Alfred L
AL
Ochs
Jan M
JM
Seabaugh
Michael F
MF
Demark
Carole R
CR
Shrader
Jennifer H
JH
Marwitz
Michael D
MD
Havranek
D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D020127:Recovery of Function; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult