Brain computed tomography perfusion analysis in HIV-seropositive adults with and without neurocognitive impairment in Nigeria: outcomes and challenges of a pilot study.

Introduction: the significance of cerebrovascular disease in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) in a homogeneous black population has not yet been determined. This incident case-control study used CT perfusion imaging to quantify and compare regional cerebral blood flow parameters in neuro-cognitively impaired and unimpaired HIV+ participants of the Ibadan Cohort on Neuro AIDS (ICON) in Nigeria. Methods: this was an incident case-control study consisting of twenty-seven HIV+ adults, classified based on Frascati criteria into neurocognitive impaired (n=18) and unimpaired (n=9) groups, who had brain computed tomographic perfusion (CTP) with a 64-slice Toshiba T scanner. The standard deviation (SD) of regional mean transit time (MTT), cerebral blood flow (CBF), and cerebral blood volume (CBV) values were calculated for bilateral basal ganglia (BG), frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital regions from CT perfusion maps. The regional mean values and variability (SD) in the CTP measures were compared in the groups using an independent student t-test. Results: differentially higher variability in the bilateral CBF measures in the parietal (right; OR = 1.14, x̄ =5.61, p=0.041, CI=0.27-11.35/left; OR = 1.16, x̄=7.01, p=0.03, CI=5.6-13.47) and time to peak (TTP) measures in the basal ganglia (right; OR = 3.78, x̄=0.88, p=0.032, CI=0.081-1.67/left; OR = 2.44, x̄=1.48, p=0.020, CI=0.26-2.71) and occipital (right; OR = 2.18, x̄=1.32, p=0.018, CI=0.25-2.38/left; OR = 1.93, x̄=1.08, p=0.034, CI=0.086-2.06) regions were observed in the cognitively impaired group compared to the unimpaired group. Conclusion: the study evidence suggests that alterations in cerebral perfusion implicated in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder may be possibly demonstrated using CTP, a readily available resource in most African countries saddled with the highest burden of HIV.

Intraventricular cerebrospinal fluid pulsation artifacts on low-field magnetic resonance imaging: Potential pitfall in diagnosis?

BACKGROUND: Intraventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pulsation artifact can pose a diagnostic problem in fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) brain magnetic resonance images (MRI) appearing as intraventricular hyperintensity. The extent of this challenge among radiologists in Africa using low-field MRI systems is relatively sparsely documented in the literature. The purpose of this study was to identify the presence and frequency of ventricular CSF pulsation artifact (VCSFA) on FLAIR axial brain images with a low-field MR system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: FLAIR axial images were obtained on a low-field 0.3T unit (6000 ms/108 ms/2 [repetition time/echo time/excitations], inversion time = 1700 ms, field of view = 28 cm, matrix = 195 × 256, and 6 mm contiguous sections). Two experienced radiologists independently rated VCSFA in the lateral, third, and fourth ventricles in 202 consecutive patients (age range 1-100 years) referred for brain MR for various indications. We reviewed the pattern of artifacts, to determine its relationship to age, gender, and third ventricular size. RESULTS: The low-field FLAIR MR brain images of 33 patients (16.3%) showed VCSFA in at least one ventricular cavity. The fourth ventricle was the most common site of VCSFA (n = 10), followed by the third ventricle (n = 8) and the lateral ventricles (n = 7). Eight patients had VCSFA in multiple locations, one of them in all ventricles. A smaller third ventricular size and, to a lesser extent, younger age was significantly associated with VCSFA. CSF Pulsation of VCSFA did not occur across the brain parenchyma in the phase encoding direction. CONCLUSION: VCSFA may mimic pathology on low-field axial FLAIR brain images and are more common in young patients with smaller ventricular size. Although these artifacts are less frequently observed at lower magnetic field strengths, their recognition on low-field MRI systems is important in avoiding a misdiagnosis.

Role of Diffusion-weighted Imaging in Acute Stroke Management using Low-field Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Resource-limited Settings.

A variety of imaging modalities exist for the diagnosis of stroke. Several studies have been carried out to ascertain their contribution to the management of acute stroke and to compare the benefits and limitations of each modality. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has been described as the optimal imaging technique for diagnosing acute ischemic stroke, yet limited evidence is available on the value of DWI in the management of ischemic stroke with low-field magnetic resonance (MR) systems. Although high-field MR imaging (MRI) is desirable for DWI, low-field scanners provide an acceptable clinical compromise which is of importance to developing countries posed with the challenge of limited availability of high-field units. The purpose of this paper was to systematically review the literature on the usefulness of DWI in acute stroke management with low-field MRI scanners and present the experience in Nigeria.