Does diving damage the brain? MR control study of divers' central nervous system.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the prevalence of cerebral white matter changes on MR imaging in healthy elderly compressed air divers with a long diving history in comparison with control subjects who have never dived.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The investigation employed 59 experienced elderly divers and 48 control subjects matched for age, body mass index, alcohol and smoking history. MR studies included a fluid attenuated inversion recovery sequence and T1- and T2-weighted pre- and postcontrast images in axial orientation of the whole brain to localize white matter changes.

RESULTS

MR images did not show any morphologic abnormalities in the brains of divers. Both groups - divers and controls - did not differ significantly with respect to white matter changes of the brain.

CONCLUSION

No increased prevalence of cerebral white matter changes in compressed air divers compared with a healthy worker sample of similar age were found. Thus, extensive compressed air diving may not necessarily be related to radiological changes on MR.