Meeting Banner
Abstract #2894

DTI Abnormalities Following Blast-Related TBI Across 4 Independent Cohorts: Regional Specificity for the Middle Cerebellar Peduncle

Christine MacDonald1, Ann Johnson1, Octavian Adam2, Dennis Rivet2, James Sorrell1, Brian Sammons1, Dana Cooper1, Linda Wierzechowski3, Yolanda Barnes3, John Ritter4, Todd May5, Maria Barefield2, Josh Duckworth2, Don Labarge2, Dean Asher2, Benjamin Drinkwine2, Joshua S. Shimony6, Matthew Parsons6, Abraham Snyder6, Michael Russell7, John Witherow3, Raymond Fang3, Stephen Flaherty3, David L. Brody8

1Neurology, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, United States; 2NATO Role 3 Kandahar Air Field, Kandahar, Afghanistan; 3Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany; 4Bastion Hospital, Helmond Province, Afghanistan; 5Camp Leatherneck, Helmond Province, Afghanistan; 6Radiology, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, United States; 7US Army, San Antonio, TX, United States; 8Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, United States

Blast-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been called the signature injury of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the current study, 4 independent cohorts of individuals exposed to blast were studied with diffusion tensor imaging. These cohorts provided a unique opportunity to compare and contrast imaging findings across patients following blast exposure at varying time points post injury; potentially documenting the temporal evolution of this injury. Although each cohort identified regions of reduced anisotropy indicative of white matter injury, only the left middle cerebellar peduncle was found to be abnormal across all 4 cohorts.

Abstract PDF Presentation Video

Keywords

abnormal abnormalities acutely although anisotropy army asher assessed atlas attempt bias blast board brain branches called camp cerebellar certified chronically cohort cohorts collaboration colleagues combined conducted consisted control controls coordinate cortex cross days dean deployed detection diffusion direct disease disorder documenting drawn early either elderly endured engineering england enrolled evacuated events evolution experienced exposed exposure fang female field findings ford forums fractional frame head history hospital humans identification independent indicative individuals induced injury insults isotropic john journal larger leatherneck male mapping mechanisms medical medically medicine middle military modal months neurological neurology ongoing opportunity parsons patients peduncle personnel physics plus post previous primary prior province radiology rare recruited reduced regional registration related reorganization report reported reveals rivet saint scanned scanner scanners sided simulation since site sites software specificity studied studies subjects suggested suppl support system temporal tensor transformations traumatic uncorrected universally unrelated utilized validated varied varying vulnerability warden wave whether white whole