Clinical rating of cortical atrophy and cognitive correlates following traumatic brain injury

We report on the utility of using a rapid, easy-to-use, visually based semi-quantitative neuroimaging atrophy rating scale in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and normal control subjects. Magnetic resonance (MR) scans were rated using a standardized semi-quantitative MR rating method. A four-point scale was used to rate each scan for atrophy in frontal, temporal, and parietal areas. Seventy-five TBI subjects (50 males, 25 females) and 75 age- and gender-matched control subjects were compared for atrophy ratings. Clinical atrophy ratings were also compared to a quantitative measure of atrophy, the ventricle-to-brain ratio, and with the TBI subjects' scores on standard neuropsychological tests. TBI patients had significantly higher clinical atrophy ratings in frontal and temporal lobe areas compared to controls. The clinical atrophy ratings significantly correlated with the ventricle-to-brain ratio, a quantitative measure of atrophy in the same TBI subjects. Higher clinical ratings of frontal and temporal atrophy correlated with deficits in memory and executive function. These findings indicate that clinical ratings of trauma-induced atrophy can be reliably performed and are associated with neuropsychological outcome and quantitative measures of cerebral atrophy.