A histogram-based similarity measure for quantitative magnetic resonance imaging: application in acute mild traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVES: The most commonly used summary metric in neuroimaging is the mean value, but this pays little attention to the shape of the data distribution and can therefore be insensitive to subtle changes that alter the data distribution. METHODS: We propose a distributional-based metric called the normalized histogram similarity measure (HSM) for characterization of quantitative images. We applied HSM to quantitative magnetic resonance imaging T1 relaxation data of 44 patients with mild traumatic brain injury and compared with data of 43 age-matched controls. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between the patients and the controls in 8 gray matter regions using the HSM whereas in only 1 gray matter region based on the mean values. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that HSM is more sensitive than the standard mean values in detecting brain tissue changes. Future studies on brain tissue properties using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging should consider the use of HSM to properly capture any tissue changes.

Aneurysm treatment in Europe 2010: an internet survey.

BACKGROUND: Aneurysm (AN) treatment appears to differ from country to country and even from centre to centre. Therefore we decided to conduct a survey in order to better understand the "state of the art" in aneurysm treatment in Europe. The primary aim was to understand the roles of clipping and coiling in aneurysm treatment. METHODS: An interactive form was sent to major European neurosurgical centres. The responses relating to AN location, status (ruptured/unruptured) and treatment modality were divided with regard to the volume of cases and the centre's geographical location. RESULTS: Responses were received from 96 European centres. The main finding was that clipping was used significantly more often in Eastern Europe than in the rest of Europe to treat ruptured ANs of the anterior circulation. Almost all ruptured ANs across all locations are treated actively. The treatment of unruptured aneurysms of the anterior circulation is similar. The median relating to observed unruptured ANs across the Europe was 10 %. Posterior circulation ANs are treated predominantly by coiling, regardless of aneurysm status or geographical location. The average number of coilers versus surgeons per centre was 2.5:3.0 in Western, 1.9:3.6 in Southern, 1.9:4.3 in Eastern and 2.7:3.1 in Northern Europe. CONCLUSIONS: The way in which intracranial aneurysms are treated appears to correlate with the economic development of European countries. It is probably also affected by the lack of experienced coilers in Eastern Europe.