P.032 Using clinical MRI scans for research purposes: a preliminary feasibility study

Abstract

Background: This project aims to bridge the gap between clinical data being collected at a local hospital to be used for research. Methods: 1.5T high-resolution anatomical MRI scans were collected from ten participants who were already undergoing clinical, imaging, and neurological assessment as part of their standard-of-care. Additional statistical models were used to examine the relationship between grey matter (using voxel-based morphometry [VBM]) and scores on the Toronto Cognitive Assessment (TorCA). Results: There was a lack of consistency in MRI scanning protocols and inconsistent reporting of clinical and neuropsychological data across participants. No significant relationship was found using the p-corrected images at p < 0.05. When viewing uncorrected images at a threshold of p < 0.001, we found a significant positive correlation between TorCA scores in the areas of the bilateral superior frontal gyrus, frontal pole, brain stem, and left putamen. Conclusions: Although no significant relationship was found between VBM metrics and TorCA scores, this project represents a crucial step in connecting health research with clinical practice where neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessments are already being collected. This project also informed our research team of areas that are needing to be streamlined and operationalized in future strategies for data collection and input.