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Midsagittal Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Autism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Gary R. Gaffney*
Affiliation:
College of Health Sciences and Hospital, The University of Kansas
Samuel Kuperman
Affiliation:
College of Medicine, The University of Iowa
Luke Y. Tsai
Affiliation:
College of Health Sciences and Hospital, The University of Kansas
Susan Minchin
Affiliation:
College of Medicine, The University of Iowa
Khatab M. Hassanein
Affiliation:
College of Health Sciences and Hospital, The University of Kansas
*
College of Health Sciences and Hospital, The University of Kansas, Kansas City, Kansas 66103, USA

Abstract

Since recent reports suggest structural brain abnormalities in autistic patients, we analysed magnetic resonance imaging (MAI) scans of autistic children. Planimetric measurements were done on midsagittal MRI scans, produced with a 0.5 T superconducting magnet. Scans of 13 ‘high-level’ austic subjects were compared with 35 control MRI scans, read as anatomically normal by a neuroradiologist. Corpus callosal, fourth ventricular, cerebellar, cerebral, and cranial areas were measured. The fourth ventricle was found to be significantly larger in the autistic group. No other areas in the midsagittal scans differed statistically between groups. Results suggest that structures defining the fourth ventricle are anatomically altered in autistic patients.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1987 

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