Fig 1.
Selected head CT scans showing varying causes of brain volume loss.
A: Volume rendering 3D CT scan image of a 3 months’ child with birth related head injury presenting with cephalohematoma at the vertex. B: Axial CT scan image of the same child A showing diffuse reduction in brain volume in cortical regions as evidenced by prominent sulci. C: Volume rendering 3D image of 1-year male child showing premature closure of the sagittal suture with overall increase in anterior-posterior diameter of the head(craniosynostosis). D: Sagittal CT brain image of the same child C showing loss of brain volume in the frontal lobes showing gross deviation from the calvarium with prominent CSF spaces. E: A 2 months’ female child presenting with diffuse reduction in cerebral hemispheric density sparing the cerebellum (White cerebella sign) representing hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy with early bi-temporal cerebral atrophy. F: A 4 months’ male child showing increased intracranial pressure evidenced by effacement of sulci and gyri as a result of ballooning of the lateral and 3rd ventricles. The 4th ventricle is small due to obstructive hydrocephalus following aquiductal stenosis.
Fig 2.
Age demographic distribution of the participants.
Children from both groups of cases and controls of the brain atrophy are skewed more toward the right extreme of age with the peak age between 14.1–17.0 years.
Fig 3.
Demographic picture of gender distribution of participants.
A higher proportion of childhood brain atrophy is shown in male children of the sampled population than in female children.
Table 1.
Factors driving the occurrence childhood brain atrophy in Northern Tanzania.
Simple logistic regression analysis showing demographic and non-demographic factors responsible for childhood brain atrophy. Most of non-demographic factors including CNS infection, trauma, convulsions and drugs, SOL&ICP and birth injury are influential independent variables. Upper extreme of age and male gender are significant among demographic factors.
Table 2.
The most influential drivers of brain atrophy among children.
The multiple logistic regression analysis show none of the demographic factor as a significant variable in causing brain atrophy. The order of influence and significance is represented by space occupying lesions, central nervous system infection, convulsions and anti-epileptic drugs, and birth injury.