title: Neuroimaging findings in 41 low-functioning children with autism spectrum disorder: a single-center experience.
abstract: The data on the rate of brain imaging abnormalities in autistic spectrum disorders are still inconsistent. A recent study on patients with high-functioning autism found that approximately 90% of children had normal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans whereas an unexpected high rate of MRI abnormalities was reported in 77 nonsyndromic autistic children with or without intellectual disability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of neuroradiologic findings in low-functioning autistic children compared to controls matched for age. Minor brain abnormalities were found in 44% of patients and 22% of controls. Our main result is the high rate of mega cisterna magna in autistic patients. High rate of minor neuroradiologic abnormalities in low-functioning autistic patients could contribute to the research about the various endophenotypes and complete the clinical assessment of children with autistic spectrum disorder and intellectual disability.
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology Division, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C.Besta, via Celoria 11, 20133 Milano, Italy aerbetta@istituto-besta.it.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Erbetta
authors.affiliation: Developmental Neurology Division, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C.Besta, via Celoria 11, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bulgheroni
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology Division, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C.Besta, via Celoria 11, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Contarino
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology Division, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C.Besta, via Celoria 11, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chiapparini
authors.affiliation: Developmental Neurology Division, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C.Besta, via Celoria 11, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.affiliation: Developmental Neurology Division, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C.Besta, via Celoria 11, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vago
authors.affiliation: Developmental Neurology Division, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C.Besta, via Celoria 11, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Daria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Riva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D059906:Neuroimaging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: autism spectrum disorder; children; conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); structural brain abnormalities