Brain core temperature of patients with mild traumatic brain injury as assessed by DWI-thermometry

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess the brain core temperature of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) using a noninvasive temperature measurement technique based on the diffusion coefficient of the cerebrospinal fluid. METHODS: This retrospective study used the data collected from April 2008 to June 2011. The patient group comprised 20 patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 14 or 15 who underwent magnetic resonance imaging within 30 days after head trauma. The normal control group comprised 14 subjects who volunteered for a brain checkup (known in Japan as “brain dock”). We compared lateral ventricular (LV) temperature between patient and control groups. Follow-up studies were performed for four patients. RESULTS: LV temperature measurements were successfully performed for both patients and controls. Mean (±standard deviation) measured LV temperature was 36.9 ± 1.5 °C in patients, 38.7 ± 1.8 °C in follow-ups, and 37.9 ± 1.2 °C in controls, showing a significant difference between patients and controls (P = 0.017). However, no significant difference was evident between patients and follow-ups (P = 0.595) or between follow-ups and controls (P = 0.465). CONCLUSIONS: A reduction in brain core temperature was observed in patients with mTBI, possibly due to a global decrease in metabolism.