Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Evaluation of Neurological Disorders in Pediatric Patients

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence and pattern of magnetic resonance imaging-detected structural brain abnormalities among children with developmental delay and to assess their association with demographic features, hypoxic insults, and underlying etiological factors.

Study Design: Prospective observational study
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Baghdad Medical City and the Children's Central Teaching Hospital, Iraq from 1st October 2024 to 31st January 2025.

Methods: 65 pediatric patients were enrolled, aged between 1 month and 15 years were recruited. Children with previously confirmed genetic syndromes or metabolic disorders were excluded to ensure a more homogeneous population and to focus specifically on structural and neurological causes of developmental delay. This study provides a unique contribution by combining structured MRI data with a clinical correlation matrix of risk factors in a homogeneous pediatric cohort, offering insights into the predictive potential of imaging for early intervention
planning.

Results: Fifty (76.9%) had abnormal magnetic resonance imaging findings. The most common abnormalities were periventricular leukomalacia (56%), cerebral atrophy (30%), and schizencephaly (14%), all significantly associated with developmental delays (p<0.001). Hypoxic insults were also strongly correlated with delay (p<0.001), whereas mode of delivery had no significant association (p = 0.164). The leading etiological contributors were traumatic brain injuries (72%), metabolic disorders (70%), and neurovascular diseases (64%).

Conclusion: Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated high diagnostic yield in detecting structural brain abnormalities among children with developmental delay. The findings emphasize the importance of early
neuroimaging and the recognition of clinical risk factors particularly hypoxic injury, trauma, and metabolic imbalanceas key contributors to neurodevelopmental impairment in pediatric populations.