Tadeu Takao Almodovar Kubo MSc, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Juliana Annete Damasceno, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Heber De Souza Maia Filho, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jorge Pinto, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Ana Claudia Leite, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Patricia Moura, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Clarisse Lobo, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Thomas Martin Doring BSC, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Emerson L. Gasparetto MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

The goal of this study was to evaluate in vivo the cortical thickness in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients using automatic segmentation methods.

56 patients with SCD (29 female, 9.8 ± 1.5; and 27 male, 9.6 ± 1.1 years old) and 14 healthy controls (5 female, 10.2 ± 0.8; and 9 male, 9.9 ± 0.9) were studied. T1-weighted images in the sagittal plane of all subjects were acquired using a 3.0 T imaging system applying a 3D MPRAGE sequence (TR/TE=2530/3.39, flip angle, 7°; TI = 1100 ms; bandwidth, 190 Hz/pixel; in-plane matrix resolution, 256 x 256; slice thickness, 1.3 mm; number of slices, 128; voxel size, 1.3 mm•). The T1-weighted images were transferred to a computer where cortical segmentation and reconstruction were performed with FreeSurfer v5.0.0. Statistical analysis was performed using the QDEC tool in the FreeSurfer software suite. Patients with SCA were demographically matched to controls, and differences in cortical thickness were analyzed.

Patients with SCD show statistically significant changes of cortical thickness in both hemispheres (p<0.05). In the left hemisphere, they showed a thickening in pars triangularis and post central regions, and a thinning in lingual region. In the right hemisphere were observed a thickening of insula, paracentral and rostral middle frontal regions, and a thinning in inferior parietal region.

Patients with SCD may have early central nervous system involvement, as demonstrated by several areas abnormal cortical thickness seen in this study. Further studies correlating these findings with clinical and laboratorial measures could improve the knowledge about the neurological damage in these patients.

Advanced imaging techniques, including post-processing assessment of the images, may help to understand the neurological involvement seen in patients with sickle cell disease.

Kubo, T, Damasceno, J, Maia Filho, H, Pinto, J, Leite, A, Moura, P, Lobo, C, Doring, T, Gasparetto, E, The Gray Matter Damage in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: A High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.  Radiological Society of North America 2012 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 25 - November 30, 2012 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2012/12022244.html