title: Prospective analysis on brain magnetic resonance imaging in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have addressed the prevalence of incidental findings in adult populations. There are few studies following paediatric patients, most of data were retrieved retrospectively. We conducted a prospective study to determine the prevalence of incidental, pathologic and normal findings in a symptomatic paediatric population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects of this prospective single centre study are 436 children aged 0-18 years with clinical symptoms and subsequent first brain MRI. Normal, incidental as well as pathologic MRI findings are documented in association with age, gender, neurological examination and previous investigations (CCT, EEG). Secondary outcome parameters are defined as MRI results and their implications. Two board-certified radiologists prospectively analysed MR images without knowing the result from each other.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 436 patients with brain MRI were categorized into three groups as follows: 155 (35.5%) patients had normal findings, 163 (37.4%) had incidental findings and 118 (27.1%) had pathological findings in brain MRI. When adding patients with pathologic and incidental findings we report even more (47.9%). We analysed the correlation between neurologic examination and MRI result and it was significant (p-value 0.0008). The p-value for concordance of both radiology reports was <0.001 and therefore highly significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge this is the first prospective paediatric study reporting the prevalence of normal, pathologic and incidental findings in brain MRI in symptomatic children. Incidental findings are common in paediatric patients but we report the highest prevalence. Our data may help guiding management decision in a consistent and clinically appropriate manner.
authors: Children's Hospital, Department of Paediatrics, Krankenhausstr. 26-30, 4020 Linz, Austria. Electronic address: ariane.biebl@gespag.at.
authors: Ariane
authors: A
authors: Biebl
authors: Children's Hospital, Department of Paediatric Radiology, Krankenhausstr. 26-30, 4020 Linz, Austria.
authors: Bettina
authors: B
authors: Frechinger
authors: General Hospital, Department of Radiology, Krankenhausstr. 9, 4020 Linz, Austria.
authors: Christine Maria
authors: CM
authors: Fellner
authors: University of Applied Sciences, Statistics, Wehrgrabengasse 1, 4400 Steyr, Austria.
authors: Margit
authors: M
authors: Ehrenmüller
authors: Children's Hospital, Department of Paediatric Radiology, Krankenhausstr. 26-30, 4020 Linz, Austria.
authors: Brigitte
authors: B
authors: Povysil
authors: General Hospital, Department of Radiology, Krankenhausstr. 9, 4020 Linz, Austria.
authors: Franz
authors: F
authors: Fellner
authors: Children's Hospital, Department of Paediatrics, Krankenhausstr. 26-30, 4020 Linz, Austria.
authors: Klaus
authors: K
authors: Schmitt
authors: Children's Hospital, Department of Paediatrics, Krankenhausstr. 26-30, 4020 Linz, Austria.
authors: Dieter
authors: D
authors: Furthner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010372:Pediatrics; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Brain; Incidental findings; Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); Prospective; Symptomatic children