Elan J. Grossman1,2, Jens H. Jensen1,2,
Matilde Inglese1,2, Ali Tabesh1, Kelly A. McGorty,
Joseph Reaume1, Qun Chen1,2, Robert I. Grossman1
1Center for Biomedical
Imaging, Department of Radiology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, United
States; 2Department of Physiology & Neuroscience, NYU School
of Medicine, New York, United States
Conventional imaging cannot detect damage that accounts for disabling cognitive impairment in mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). The purpose of this study is to examine differences in deep gray and white matter regions of patients from controls within first month of injury by employing DKI, which measures non-Gaussian diffusion, and ASL, which measures perfusion, to identify potential biomarkers. Structural differences were found in thalamus, internal capsule, and splenium of corpus callosum, and perfusion differences in thalamus. Thalamic perfusion was correlated to frontal white matter and centrum semiovale. Results suggest perfusion changes are related to structural damage and that DKI and ASL might be prognostic markers of persistent post-concussive syndrome.