title: Does diffusion restriction changes in magnetic resonance imaging predict neurological outcome in neonatal seizures?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neonatal seizures are a common manifestation of brain dysfunction. Neonatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has rapidly become the study of choice for the evaluation of central nervous systems disorders in newborns. According to a study conducted in Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, diffusion Restriction (DR) changes in the MRI is a good indicator of cell dysfunction (reversible or irreversible) within one week of insult.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The main aim of this study was to find the association of DR changes in MRI of brain for neonatal seizures with long term neurodevelopment outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective observational study conducted in Sri Ramachandra University. Retrospective data was collected for the time period of January 2010 to December 2011 from medical records department (MRD) for patient data, neonatal intensive care unit and reports from PACS for MRI images and the Karthikeyan child development unit for their developmental follow up reports.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison of composite score for various domains with DR changes was done with a t-test and comparison of babies with developmental delay and DR changes with Chi-square test. MRI DR changes with developmental outcome in different domains namely cognition, language-receptive/expressive, fine and gross motor was studied. There is no statistical significance among those who have DR changes and with those who do not have DR changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Though diffusion restriction changes in MRI may not predict adverse long term neuro developmental outcome, they can be of use with regards to individual etiological profile as in stroke. Larger group study and long term follow up is required to substantiate these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Manipriya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ravindran
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Prakash
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amborium
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Umamaheswari
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Gokul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramani
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Binu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ninan
keywords: Bailey's scale of development; diffusion restriction in magnetic resonance imaging; neonatal seizures