Abstract
Background and Objectives: Young adults represent an increasingly large proportion of healthy volunteers in brain imaging research, but descriptions of incidental findings (IFs) in this age group are scarce. We aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of IFs on brain MRIs of healthy young research participants aged 18–35 years, and to describe the protocol implemented to handle them.Methods: The study population comprised 1,867 participants aged 22.1 ± 2.3 years (72% women) from MRi-Share, the cross-sectional brain MRI substudy of the i-Share student cohort. IFs were flagged during the MRI quality control. We estimated the proportion of participants with IFs [any, requiring medical referral, potentially serious (PSIFs) as defined in the UK biobank]: overall, by type and severity of the final diagnosis, as well as the number of IFs.Results: 78/1,867 participants had at least one IF [4.2%, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 3.4–5.2%]. IFs requiring medical referral (n = 38) were observed in 36/1,867 participants (1.9%, 1.4–2.7%), and represented 47.5% of the 80 IFs initially flagged. Referred IFs were retrospectively classified as PSIFs in 25/1,867 participants (1.3%, 0.9–2.0%), accounting for 68.4% of anomalies referred (26/38). The most common final diagnosis was cysts or ventricular abnormalities in all participants (9/1,867; 0.5%, 0.2–0.9%) and in those with referred IFs (9/36; 25.0%, 13.6–41.3%), while it was multiple sclerosis or radiologically isolated syndrome in participants with PSIFs (5/19; 26.3%, 11.5–49.1%) who represented 0.1% (0.0–0.4%) and 0.2% (0.03–0.5%) of all participants, respectively. Final diagnoses were considered serious in 11/1,867 participants (0.6%, 0.3–1.1%). Among participants with referred IFs, 13.9% (5/36) required active intervention, while 50.0% (18/36) were put on clinical surveillance.Conclusions: In a large brain imaging study of young healthy adults participating in research we observed a non-negligible frequency of IFs. The etiological pattern differed from what has been described in older adults.
Highlights
The widespread use of advanced brain MRI techniques in clinical research entails increasingly frequent detection of incidental findings (IFs)
Among i-Share participants, participation in the MRi-Share study was associated with older age, healthcare or health related studies, having had a comfortable or very comfortable familial economic situation in childhood, having an income originating from the family or having a scholarship on social grounds, and use of psychoactive drugs
In the UK biobank (UKB), brain Potentially Serious Incidental Findings (PSIFs) were detected in 58 participants (0.8%, 0.6–1.0%) using two protocols: a systematic review by a radiologist for the first 1,000 scans, and a radiographer flagging for confirmation by a radiologist for the subsequent 6,334 scans
Summary
The widespread use of advanced brain MRI techniques in clinical research entails increasingly frequent detection of incidental findings (IFs). While most IFs are not clinically meaningful, some can reflect underlying diseases amenable to treatment or can, in rare instances, be lifethreatening (e.g., aneurysms, neoplasms). In such cases, early detection and treatment could be of clinical benefit for the participant. Young adults represent an increasingly large proportion of healthy volunteers in brain imaging research, but descriptions of incidental findings (IFs) in this age group are scarce. We aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of IFs on brain MRIs of healthy young research participants aged 18–35 years, and to describe the protocol implemented to handle them
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
