Tang S, Liu X, Ran Q, Nie L, Wu L, Pan Z, He L. Application of Three-Dimensional Pseudocontinuous Arterial Spin Labeling Perfusion Imaging in the Brains of Children With Autism.
Front Neurol 2022;
13:851430. [PMID:
35280268 PMCID:
PMC8905523 DOI:
10.3389/fneur.2022.851430]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective
To explore the application of three-dimensional pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (3D-PCASL) perfusion imaging in the brains of children with autism and to understand the characteristics of cerebral blood perfusion in children with autism.
Methods
A total of 320 children with autism (160 men and 160 women) aged between 2 and 18 years and 320 age- and sex-matched healthy children participated in the study. All children were scanned by 3.0 T magnetic resonance axial T1 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), T2 FLAIR, 3D-T1, and 3D-PCASL sequences. After postprocessing, cerebral blood flow (CBF) values in each brain region of children with autism and healthy children at the same age were compared and analyzed. Furthermore, CBF characteristics in each brain region of autistic children at various ages were determined.
Results
The CBF values of the frontal lobe, hippocampus, temporal lobe, and caudate nucleus of children with autism are lower than those of healthy children (P < 0.05). Additionally, as the ages of children with autism increase, the number of brain regions with decreased CBF values gradually increases. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis results show that the CBF values of the frontal lobe, hippocampus, temporal lobe, and caudate nucleus can distinguish children with autism [area under the ROC curve (AUC) > 0.05, P < 0.05].
Conclusion
The 3D-PCASL shows lower brain CBF values in children with autism.
Clinical Trial Registration
www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: ChiCTR2000034356.
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