Back to Search Start Over

Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses of MR-Arterial Spin Labeling Perfusion Data for the Assessment of Pediatric Patients with Focal Epilepsies

Authors :
Domenico Tortora
Matteo Cataldi
Mariasavina Severino
Alessandro Consales
Mattia Pacetti
Costanza Parodi
Fiammetta Sertorio
Antonia Ramaglia
Erica Cognolato
Giulia Nobile
Margherita Mancardi
Giulia Prato
Laura Siri
Thea Giacomini
Pasquale Striano
Dario Arnaldi
Gianluca Piatelli
Andrea Rossi
Lino Nobili
Source :
Diagnostics, Vol 12, Iss 4, p 811 (2022)
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2022.

Abstract

The role of MR Arterial-Spin-Labeling Cerebral Blood Flow maps (ASL-CBF) in the assessment of pediatric focal epilepsy is still debated. We aim to compare the Seizure Onset Zone (SOZ) detection rate of three methods of evaluation of ASL-CBF: 1) qualitative visual (qCBF), 2) z-score voxel-based quantitative analysis of index of asymmetry (AI-CBF), and 3) z-score voxel-based cluster analysis of the quantitative difference of patient’s CBF from the normative data of an age-matched healthy population (cCBF). Interictal ASL-CBF were acquired in 65 pediatric patients with focal epilepsy: 26 with focal brain lesions and 39 with a normal MRI. All hypoperfusion areas visible in at least 3 contiguous images of qCBF analysis were identified. In the quantitative evaluations, clusters with a significant z-score AI-CBF ≤ −1.64 and areas with a z-score cCBF ≤ −1.64 were considered potentially related to the SOZ. These areas were compared with the SOZ defined by the anatomo-electro-clinical data. In patients with a positive MRI, SOZ was correctly identified in 27% of patients using qCBF, 73% using AI-CBF, and 77% using cCBF. In negative MRI patients, SOZ was identified in 18% of patients using qCBF, in 46% using AI-CBF, and in 64% using cCBF (p < 0.001). Quantitative analyses of ASL-CBF maps increase the detection rate of SOZ compared to the qualitative method, principally in negative MRI patients.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20754418
Volume :
12
Issue :
4
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Diagnostics
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.251ab601da5e49b4a50106ee5f58a538
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12040811