THE MALAWI-MSU MRI PROJECT: AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDY OF CNS ABNORMALITIES

描述（由申请人提供）：由于前所未有的公私合作伙伴关系，MRI技术最近在马拉维用于研究、临床和教育目的。缺乏规范的数据被证明是在这种环境下使用MRI的主要障碍。马拉维-密歇根州立大学MRI研究项目将招募一个以社区为基础的具有代表性的马拉维儿童样本进行临床和脑MRI评估，以开发马拉维人口中枢神经系统图像的规范数据。研究对象还将筛查马拉维常见的产前、创伤、感染或环境暴露史，这些可能是中枢神经系统损伤的危险因素。将评估特定潜在危险因素与特定以及非特定结构异常之间的关系。这项流行病学评估的结果将有助于深入了解马拉维未被认识到的神经系统残疾和疾病的负担和性质，以及这些疾病的可能病因。在这项工作的进行过程中，一个定制的、网络兼容的软件程序（NeuroInterp）将被充分开发和实施，该程序旨在允许放射科医生以系统的、可量化的格式提供脑MRI解释。将加强对马拉维核磁共振技术人员的培训，并在这个资源有限的环境中为学术放射学的持续发展提供支持。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Due to an unprecedented public-private partnership, MRI technology has recently become available in Malawi for research, clinical and educational purposes. The lack of normative data is proving a major barrier to the use of MRI in this environment. The Malawi-MSU MRI Research Project will recruit a community-based, representative sample of Malawian children for clinical and brain MRI evaluations to develop normative data for CNS images in the Malawian population. Study subjects will also be screened for a history of antenatal, traumatic, infectious, or environmental exposures common in Malawi which may be risk factors for CNS injuries. The association between specific potential risk factors and specific, as well as non-specific structural abnormalities will be assessed. Findings from this epidemiologic assessment will provide insights into the burden and nature of unrecognized neurologic disability and disease in Malawi and possible etiologies for these conditions. During the conduct of this work, a customized, web compatible software program (NeuroInterp) designed to allow radiologists to provide brain MRI interpretations in a systematic, quantifiable format will be fully developed and implemented. Training for MRI technicians in Malawi will be enhanced and support provided for the continued development of academic radiology in this resource limited setting. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Narrative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has recently become available in Malawi--the first time such advanced imaging technology has been accessible for teaching, education and research in a sub-Saharan African region. The Malawi-MSU MRI research project will obtain brain MRIs from a community-based population of Malawian children to establish the range of structural abnormalities evident in this never-before-studied population since this information is needed to effectively use MRI technology in the sub-Saharan African region. Through MRI reviews and clinical assessments, the project will evaluate the nature of neurologic injuries and their potential etiologies in this vulnerable population.