Fast MR for Young Children With Traumatic Brain Injury

Study Summary

This proposal will test the diagnostic utility of fast magnetic resonance (MR) in young children with Traumatic brain Injury (TBI). In children, TBI causes \>2000 deaths, 35,000 hospitalizations and 470,000 emergency department visits in the US each year, making it a leading cause of pediatric disability and death. Currently 20-50% of these children undergo computed tomography (CT) scanning, exposing them to harmful radiation, and increasing their lifetime risk of cancer. Risks are especially increased in children because the neurologic exam is less reliable, because growing tissues are more vulnerable to radiation, and because children have more years to accumulate harmful mutations. Fast MR is a short, motion-tolerant protocol that has been used in children with shunted hydrocephalus to eliminate radiation exposure without the need for sedation. However, fast MR has not been validated in children with TBI, a critical gap. The investigators will measure feasibility and diagnostic utility of fast MR in children \< 6 years (72 months) old who undergo head CT for TBI. The Investigator will recruit children in whom a head CT is ordered for TBI. Consenting subjects will undergo fast MR shortly after CT and results will be compared to determine: 1) whether fast MR identifies all traumatic injuries identified by CT and 2) whether fast MR without sedation can be performed quickly and successfully.

Primary Outcome

The main outcome measure will be the identification of radiographically apparent brain injury using cranial CT as the gold standard. Diagnostic utility (sensitivity/specificity) of fast MR to identify radiographic evidence of trauma (yes/no) as determined by dual, independent review by 2 masked pediatric neuroradiologists and compared to the clinical interpretation of CT (the current criterion standard).

Interventions

• PROCEDURE Computed Tomography
• PROCEDURE Fast MR