Abstract
ObjectiveTo 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.MethodsA 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.ResultsThe 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].ConclusionThe 3D-PCASL shows lower brain CBF values in children with autism.Clinical Trial Registrationwww.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: ChiCTR2000034356.
Highlights
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a group of developmental disorders that start in early childhood, with high incidence and unclear causes [1]
A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis results show that the cerebral blood flow (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]
singlephoton emission computed tomography (SPECT) is an instrument that uses radioisotopes as tracers to obtain blood flow values in various regions of children’s brains, which is harmful to the human body, and children are at a high risk of adverse effects due to γ-ray radiation exposure [10, 11]
Summary
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a group of developmental disorders that start in early childhood, with high incidence and unclear causes [1]. Studies have found that some brain regions of children with autism have abnormal anatomical structures or abnormal brain function activities [6, 7], but whether cerebral blood perfusion in abnormal brain regions is abnormal is unknown. Some researchers have used singlephoton emission computed tomography (SPECT) to determine cerebral blood perfusion in children with ASD [8, 9]. SPECT is an instrument that uses radioisotopes as tracers to obtain blood flow values in various regions of children’s brains, which is harmful to the human body, and children are at a high risk of adverse effects due to γ-ray (radioactive isotope decay produces γ- ray) radiation exposure [10, 11]. Identifying a technology with no impact on children’s bodies to determine their brain blood flow is a study hotspot for medical researchers
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