Gale S D, Baxter L, Roundy N, Johnson S C
Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Barrow Neurological Institute, 222 W Thomas Rd, Suite 315, Phoenix, Arizona 85013, USA.
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2005 Jul;76(7):984-8. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.2004.036210.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have shown diffuse cerebral atrophy following traumatic brain injury. In the past, quantitative volumetric analysis of these changes was carried out by manually tracing specific regions of interest. In contrast, voxel based morphometry (VBM) is a fully automated technique that allows examination of the whole brain on a voxel by voxel basis.
To use VBM to evaluate changes in grey matter concentration following traumatic brain injury.
Nine patients with a history of traumatic brain injury (ranging from mild to severe) about one year previously were compared with nine age and sex matched healthy volunteers. T1 weighted three dimensional MRI images were acquired and then analysed with statistical parametric mapping software (SPM2). The patients with traumatic brain injury also completed cognitive testing to determine whether regional grey matter concentration correlated with a measure of attention and initial injury severity.
Compared with controls, the brain injured patients had decreased grey matter concentration in multiple brain regions including frontal and temporal cortices, cingulate gyrus, subcortical grey matter, and the cerebellum. Decreased grey matter concentration correlated with lower scores on tests of attention and lower Glasgow coma scale scores.
Using VBM, regions of decreased grey matter concentration were observed in subjects with traumatic brain injury compared with well matched controls. In the brain injured patients, there was a relation between grey matter concentration and attentional ability.
磁共振成像（MRI）研究显示，创伤性脑损伤后存在弥漫性脑萎缩。过去，这些变化的定量体积分析是通过手动描绘特定感兴趣区域来进行的。相比之下，基于体素的形态计量学（VBM）是一种完全自动化的技术，能够逐体素地对全脑进行检查。
使用VBM评估创伤性脑损伤后灰质浓度的变化。
将9例约1年前有创伤性脑损伤病史（从轻度到重度）的患者与9例年龄和性别匹配的健康志愿者进行比较。采集T1加权三维MRI图像，然后使用统计参数映射软件（SPM2）进行分析。创伤性脑损伤患者还完成了认知测试，以确定区域灰质浓度是否与注意力测量值和初始损伤严重程度相关。
与对照组相比，脑损伤患者在多个脑区的灰质浓度降低，包括额叶和颞叶皮质、扣带回、皮质下灰质和小脑。灰质浓度降低与注意力测试得分较低和格拉斯哥昏迷量表得分较低相关。
与匹配良好的对照组相比，使用VBM在创伤性脑损伤患者中观察到灰质浓度降低的区域。在脑损伤患者中，灰质浓度与注意力能力之间存在关联。
