Publication
Background The corpus callosum (CC) is a key brain structure. In children with neurodevelopmental delay, we compared standard qualitative radiological assessments with an automatic quantitative tool. Methods We prospectively enrolled 73 children (46 males, 63.0%) with neurodevelopmental delay at single university hospital between September 2020 and September 2022. All of them underwent 1.5-T brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including a magnetization-prepared 2 rapid acquisition gradient echoes - MP2RAGE sequence. Two radiologists blindly reviewed the images to classify qualitatively the CC into normal, hypoplasic, hyperplasic, and/or dysgenetic classes. An automatic tool (QuantiFIRE) was used to provide brain volumetry and T1 relaxometry automatically as well as deviations of those parameters compared with a healthy age-matched cohort. The MRI reference standard for CC volumetry was based on the Garel et al. study. Cohen kappa statistics was used for interrater agreement. The radiologists and QuantiFIRE's diagnostic accuracy were compared with the reference standard using the Delong test. Results The CC was normal in 42 cases (57.5%), hypoplastic in 20 cases (27.4%), and hypertrophic in 11 cases (15.1%). T1 relaxometry values were abnormal in 26 children (35.6%); either abnormally high (18 cases, 24.6%) or low (8 cases, 11.0%). The interrater Cohen kappa coefficient was 0.91. The diagnostic accuracy of the QuantiFIRE prototype was higher than that of the radiologists for hypoplastic and normal CC (p = 0.003 for both subgroups, Delong test). Conclusions An automated volumetric and relaxometric assessment can assist the evaluation of brain structure such as the CC, particularly in the case of subtle abnormalities. Relevance statement Automated brain MRI segmentation combined with statistical comparison to normal volume and T1 relaxometry values can be a useful diagnostic support tool for radiologists.