Abstract #4211

Serial Diffusion Tensor Imaging Suggests Progressive Pathophysiology for Weeks Following Traumatic Brain Injury, & Possible White Matter Repair Months After Injury

Virginia Newcombe¹, Guy Williams², Joanne Outtrim¹, Doris Chatfield¹, M. G. Abate¹, T. Geeraerts¹, A. Manktelow¹, Peter Hutchinson³, Jonathon Coles¹, David Menon¹

¹Division of Anaesthesia, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom; ²Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, Univerisity of Cambridge; ³Academic Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is clear that much of the sequelae are not just a direct consequence of the acute event represent a dynamic process with changes occurring many years after the precipitating injury. In this study, a consistent pattern was found of FA being low immediately post injury. It appears to worsen for several weeks, with a nadir at approximately six months. When patients are followed up past the six month time point there appears to be an increase in FA, which may indicate recovery.