Retrospective evaluation of radiological and laboratory findings of children who applied with headacahe

Objectives: The aim of this study is to identify the importance of neuroimaging and laboratory evalutions in pediatric headaches. To assess when neuroimaging and laboratory evalutions should be used. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at pediatric neurology clinic in Tekirdag Namik Kemal University Hospital. The cases obtained between October 2020- April 2023. Case characterics include age, sex, headache type, duration, frequency, levels of plasma vitamin B12, vitamin D, folate, medical therapy use, neuroimaging modalities that used and neuroimaging findings (normal or pathological). Results: It was obtained 199 cases, %58,3 females(n=116), %41,7 (n=83) males. % 96,5 (n= 192) cases were performed neuroimaging. The majority of neuroimaging were brain MRI. Only %6,8 of patients (n=12) had pathological brain MRI findings. Patients who had migraine were less likely to have pathological brain MRI finding than the ones tension type headaches. Patients who have migraine headache have lower vitamin D level than the other headache types but there were no statical differences. Vitamin B12 levels were at normal levels at our study. Note that the patients who diagnosed migraine has lower vitamin B12 leves. Conclusions: In chronic headaches, vitamin B12 and D defiencies frequently observed and should be treated. The neurogimaging modalities are not have extra benefits with the pediatric patients who had normal neurological examination.