BRAIM: A computer-aided diagnosis system for neurodegenerative diseases and brain lesion monitoring from volumetric analyses

[EN] Background and objective: This paper presents BRAIM, a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system to help clinicians in diagnosing and treatment monitoring of brain diseases from magnetic resonance image processing. BRAIM can be used for early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson, Alzheimer or Multiple Sclerosis and also for brain lesion diagnosis and monitoring. Methods: The developed CAD system includes different user-friendly tools for segmenting and determining whole brain and brain structure volumes in an easy and accurate way. Specifically, three types of measurements can be performed: (1) total volume of white, gray matter and cerebrospinal fluid; (2) brain structure volumes (volume of putamen, thalamus, hippocampus and caudate nucleus); and (3) brain lesion volumes. Results: As a proof of concept, some study cases were analyzed with the presented system achieving promising results. In addition to be used to quantify treatment effectiveness in patients with brain lesions, it was demonstrated that BRAIM is able to classify a subject according to the brain volume measurements using as reference a healthy control database created for this purpose. Conclusions: The CAD system presented in this paper simplifies the daily work of clinicians and provides them with objective and quantitative volume data for prospective and retrospective analyses. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.This work has been supported by the Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnologico Industrial (CDTI) under the project BRAIM (IDI-20130020)Morales, S.; Bernabeu-Sanz, A.; López-Mir, F.; Gonzalez, P.; Luna, L.; Naranjo Ornedo, V. (2017). BRAIM: A computer-aided diagnosis system for neurodegenerative diseases and brain lesion monitoring from volumetric analyses. Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine. 145:167-179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmpb.2017.04.006S16717914

Contribution of Gray Matter Atrophy and White Matter Damage to Cognitive Impairment in Mildly Disabled Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients

[EN] Cognitive impairment (CI) is frequently present in multiple sclerosis patients. Despite ongoing research, the neurological substrates have not been fully elucidated. In this study we investigated the contribution of gray and white matter in the CI observed in mildly disabled relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients. For that purpose, 30 patients with RRMS (median EDSS = 2), and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were studied. CI was assessed using the symbol digit modalities test (SDMT) and the memory alteration test. Brain magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), voxel-based morphometry (VBM), brain segmentation, thalamic vertex analysis, and connectivity-based thalamic parcellation analyses were performed. RRMS patients scored significantly lower in both cognitive tests. In the patient group, significant atrophy in the thalami was observed. Multiple regression analyses revealed associations between SDMT scores and GM volume in both hemispheres in the temporal, parietal, frontal, and occipital lobes. The DTI results pointed to white matter damage in all thalamocortical connections, the corpus callosum, and several fasciculi. Multiple regression and correlation analyses suggested that in RRMS patients with mild disease, thalamic atrophy and thalamocortical connection damage may lead to slower cognitive processing. Furthermore, white matter damage at specific fasciculi may be related to episodic memory impairmentThis work was supported by the Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnologico Industrial (CDTI, Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain) under the project BRAIM (IDI-20130020)Bernabeu-Sanz, A.; Morales, S.; Naranjo Ornedo, V.; Sempere, AP. (2021). Contribution of Gray Matter Atrophy and White Matter Damage to Cognitive Impairment in Mildly Disabled Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients. Diagnostics. 11(3):1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics11030578S11711

Spanish consensus on infantile haemangioma

Introduction: Infantile haemangiomas are benign tumours produced by the proliferation of endothelial cells of blood vessels, with a high incidence in children under the age of one year (4-10%). It is estimated that 12% of them require treatment. This treatment must be administered according to clinical practice guidelines, expert experience, patient characteristics and parent preferences.Methods: The consensus process was performed by using scientific evidence on the diagnosis and treatment of infantile haemangiomas, culled from a systematic review of the literature, together with specialist expert opinions. The recommendations issued were validated by the specialists, who also provided their level of agreement.Results: This document contains recommendations on the classification, associations, complications, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with infantile haemangioma. It also includes action algorithms, and addresses multidisciplinary management and referral criteria between the different specialities involved in the clinical management of this type of patient.Conclusions: The recommendations and the diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms of infantile haemangiomas contained in this document are a useful tool for the proper management of these patients. (C) 2015 Asociacion Espanola de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved