Abstract #3122
Thalamic gray matter volume reduction in mild traumatic brain injury
Rusinek H, Hemmige V, Ge Y, Grossman R
New York University School of Medicine
Recent reports using animal models suggest that TBI is associated with subtle thalamic gray matter (TG) reduction. In 29 patients and 18 age- and gender-matched controls we measured TG using T1-weighted images and a technique that corrects for partial volume effects. In patients TG was significantly lower than in controls, with a trend for TG to be lower in patients who were examined 3.74.3 years after injury as compared with measures done 6.210.6 days after injury. Reduced volume of thalamic gray matter could become a radiological marker of thalamic involvement and may correlate with the post-concussion syndrome.