Novel multi-linear quantitative brain volume formula for manual radiological evaluation of brain atrophy

R Sungura; E Mpolya; J M Spitsbergen; C Onyambu; E Sauli; J-M Vianney

doi:10.1016/j.ejro.2020.100281

Novel multi-linear quantitative brain volume formula for manual radiological evaluation of brain atrophy

Eur J Radiol Open. 2020 Nov 13:7:100281. doi: 10.1016/j.ejro.2020.100281. eCollection 2020.

Authors

R Sungura¹, E Mpolya¹, J M Spitsbergen², C Onyambu³, E Sauli¹, J-M Vianney¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Science and Bioengineering, Nelson Mandela-African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania.
² Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, USA.
³ Department of Diagnostic and Radiation Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya.

Abstract

Objectives: The brain atrophy commonly occurs in elderly and in some childhood conditions making the techniques for quantifying brain volume needful. Since the automated quantitative methods of brain volume assessment have limited availability in developing countries, it was the purpose of this study to design and test an alternative formula that is applicable to all healthcare levels.

Methods: The multi-linear diagonal brain fraction formula (DBF) was designed from dimensions of brain relative to skull and ventricles. To test a developed formula, a total of 347 subjects aged between 0 and 18 years who had brain CT scans performed recruited and subjected to a systematic measurement of their brains in a diagonal brain fashion.

Results: Out of 347 patients evaluated, 62 subjects (17.8 %) were found to be cases of brain atrophy. The three radiological measurements which included sulcal width (SW), ventricular width (VW) and Evans Index (EI) were concurrently performed. SW and VW showed good age correlation. Similar tests were extended to diagonal brain fraction (DBF) and skull vertical horizontal ratio (VHR) in which DBF showed significant age correlation.

Conclusions: The DBF formula shows significant ability of differentiating changes of brain volume suggesting that it can be utilized as an alternative brain fraction quantification method bearing technical simplicity in assessing gross brain volume.

Advances in knowledge: The designed formula is unique in that it captures even the possible asymmetrical volume loss of brain through diagonal lines. The proposed scores being in term of ratios give four grades of brain atrophy.

Keywords: BIANCA, Brain Intensity Abnormality Classification Algorithm; BPF, Brain parenchymal fraction; Brain atrophy; Brain volume; CD, Compact disc; CSF, Cerebral spina fluid; CT, Computerized tomography; DBF, Diagonal brain fraction; DVD, Digital versatile disc; EI, Evans index; KNCHREC, Kibong’oto, Nelson Mandela and Cedha Research and Ethical Committee; MRI, Magnetic resonance imaging; MTA, medial temporal atrophy; Neuroimaging; Quantification; SW, Sulcal width; VBM, Volume based morphometry; VHR, Vertical-horizontal ratio; VW, Ventricular width.