Volumetric evaluation of the insular lobe in schizophrenia patients using magnetic resonance imaging

This study aims to determine whether there are changes in the cerebrum and lobus insularis in schizophrenia patients by performing volumetric analysis on MR images. Images of 39 patients (16 females and 23 males) and 41 healthy individuals (17 females and 24 males) who underwent brain MRI at the Department of Radiology of Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Health Practice and Research Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Intracranial volume (ICV), cerebral volume ratio (CVO), insular volume ratio (IVO), anterior IVO (AIVO), posterior IVO (PIVO), insula thickness (IT) and insula thickness asymmetry (ITA), cerebral volume ratio asymmetry (CVOA), insular volume ratio asymmetry (IVOA) parameters were evaluated with the Vol2Brain program. Total IT, right IT, left IT, total CVO, right CVO, left CVO, right IVO and left AIVO values were found to be significantly lower in the patient group compared to the healthy control group (p<0.05). In the female patient group, total CVO, right CVO, left CVO and left IT values were found significantly lower compared to the healthy group (p<0.05). In the male patient group, total CVO, right CVO, left CVO, total IT and left IT values were found significantly lower compared to healthy individuals (p<0.05). ICV values in the male patient group were found significantly higher compared to women (p = 0.001). In the healthy group, ICV, CVOA, ITA values were found to be significantly higher in men than in women (p<0.05). In the healthy group, left SVO and total PIVO values of men were found to be significantly lower than those of women (p<0.05). In general, men's IKV, SVOA, IKA values were found to be significantly higher than women's (p<0.05). As a result of the data analysis, lobus insularis volume and thickness values, cerebrum volume values and asymmetry parameters showed significant changes in schizophrenia patients and were found to be worth investigating during the disease process.