Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38760963›Full record

ArticleJournal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI2025

Five-Year Serial Brain MRI Analysis of Military Members Exposed to Chronic Sub-Concussive Overpressures.

Rafael Glikstein, Gerd Melkus, Eduardo Portela de Oliveira, Maria Lucia Brun-Vergara, Betty Anne Schwarz, Tim Ramsay, Tinghua Zhang, Christopher Skinner

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Canadian radiology: 2025 update.Japanese journal of radiology · 2025
    Review
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Rafael GliksteinThe Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Gerd MelkusThe Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Eduardo Portela de OliveiraThe Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Maria Lucia Brun-VergaraThe Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5983-6003
Betty Anne SchwarzThe Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1222-6136
Tim RamsayOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa Methods Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Tinghua ZhangOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa Methods Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Christopher SkinnerThe Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Funding

Department of National Defence W6399-15-GB43
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Canadian Special Operations Forces Command conducts explosives operations and training which exposes members to explosive charges at close proximity. This 5-year longitudinal trial was conducted in follow-up to our initial trial which examined military breachers with MRI and EEG pre and post blast exposure. PURPOSE: To examine brain MRI findings in military personnel exposed to multiple repeated blast exposures. STUDY TYPE: Five-year longitudinal prospective trial. POPULATION: Ninety-two males aged 23-42 with an average of 9.4 years of blast exposure. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3 T brain MRI/T1-weighted 3D with reconstruction in three planes, T2-weighted, T2-weighted fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) 3D with reconstruction in three planes, T2-weighted gradient spin echo (GRE), saturation weighted images, DWI and ADC maps, diffusion tensor imaging. ASSESSMENT: All MRI scans were interpreted by the two neuroradiologists and one neuroradiology Fellow in a blinded fashion using a customized neuroradiology reporting form. STATISTICAL TESTS: Matching parametric statistics represented the number of participants whose brain parameters improved or deteriorated over time. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using log regression modeling to determine volume loss, white matter lesions, hemosiderosis, gliosis, cystic changes and enlarged Virchow Robin (VR) spaces. A Kappa (κ) statistic with a 95% CI was calculated to determine rater variability between readers.

resultsA significant deterioration was observed in volume loss (OR = 1.083, 95% CI 0.678-1.731, permutation test), white matter changes (OR: 0.754, 95% CI 0.442-1.284, permutation test), and enlargement of VR spaces (OR: 0.775, 95% CI 0.513-1.171). Interrater reliability was low: κ = 0.283, 0.156, and 0.557 for volume loss, white matter changes, and enlargement of VR spaces, respectively. DATA

conclusionThere were significant changes in brain volume, white matter lesions, and enlargement of VR spaces. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Indexed as

Blast InjuriesBrainBrain ConcussionMagnetic Resonance ImagingMilitary PersonnelAdultCanadaHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleProspective StudiesYoung Adultbrain volume losscavernomachronic traumatic encephalopathydevelopmental venous anomaly (DVA)MRI

Identifiers

PMID38760963
PMCPMC11645495

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.