The findings of brain mri diffusion weighted imaging in obese children

Obesity is a energy metabolism defect which is characterized with exaggerated fat deposition and may cause physical and mental problems; nowadays in developed countries one of the most important health problem that effected whole population of children and adolesnces. It is a chronic disease which effect life quality negatively and its frequency increase every passing day both in the world and in our country.It is important to determine body fat ratio in obesity, so variety of methods available which are measure body fat mass. In all methods aim is same; to determine ratio of body fat tissue to other tissue that remain out of fat tissue in the body. In litterateur there is only one study which is interested with diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) of brain in obesity but this study performed on adolescences. We aimed with this study to exhibit DW-MRI findings of obese children?s brain.In total 91 cases accepted to the study; 41 obese, 18 overweight and 31 normal weight cases which are between 4-16 ages. In these cases diffusion weighted echo-planar imaging taking in DW-MRI b100, b600, b1000 and b2000 gradient values, in each cases b values determined in brain for a total of 14 regions which are associated with fasting and satiety, these are hypothalamus, hippocampal gyrus, mid temporal cortex, insular cortex, corpus striatum, cingulate gyrus, orbitofrontal cortex, thalamus, midbrain, amygdala, occipital cortex, dorsomedial frontal cortex, dorsolateral frontal cortex and cerebellum. Normal, overweight and obese groups b600, b1000 and b2000 values measured on 14 regions which are determined on Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) maps.In comparison of b600, b1000 and b2000 values of normal and obese groups, normal and overweight groups and overweight and obese groups, in ADC values statistically significant difference (p<0,05) determined. Positive correlation determined between b600, b1000 and b2000 values and ADC values by increment of BMI.In conlusion; we are thinking, besides labratory findings, DW-MRI which is giving no radiation, very rapid and easily obtained, reqiured no contrast material, findings will be helpfull for etiopathogenesis and diagnosis of obesity in obese children. In obesity by understanding changings in brain tissue may contribute to much better understand underlying mechanism of etyology in obesity.Key Words: Brain, Child, Obesity, Diffusion Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC)