MRI Assessment of Paediatric Developmental Delay
BACKGROUND Developmental delay is defined as a significant delay in the infant's developmental domains. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the best diagnostic tool to investigate such cases. Evaluation of a child with developmental delay is essential because it allows for early diagnosis and treatment and helps in counselling the parents regarding the outcome and to identify any possible risk of recurrence. METHODS The present study was conducted in AVBR Hospital, Sawangi, Wardha. This crosssectional descriptive study was conducted for magnetic resonance imaging assessment of brain in patients with developmental delay aged three months to 15 years. Males and females were both included in our study. The paediatrics department referred all patients with developmental delay or delayed milestones to the radiology department, where they underwent MRI brain with gadolinium contrast (Brivo MR 355 1.5 Tesla). A total of 104 patients was included in the present study. RESULTS In our present study, distribution of the MRI findings based on structural morphology was 49 (47.12 %), 43 (41.35 %), 30 (28.85 %), 11 (10.58 %), 8 (7.69 %), and 3 (2.88 %) patients with abnormal findings in ventricles, corpus callosum, white matter, grey matter, cerebellum, brainstem respectively. Use of contrast was significant only in 4 (3.85 %) patients. Use of contrast was ineffective in 100 (96.15 %) patients, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001), stating that the use of contrast is ineffective in such patients. CONCLUSIONS MRI evaluation of the brain contributes to the diagnosis of aetiologies of developmental delay. Clinical diagnosis of the developmental delay should not be the only endpoint. MRI is the best investigation with a high yield in such developmental delay patients. KEY WORDS Developmental Delay, MRI Brain, Paediatric Patients