Clinical Utility of Rapid-Sequence Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rMRI) in Pediatric Neurosurgery: Enhancing Assessment of Hydrocephalic Changes.

Objective

Rapid-sequence magnetic resonance imaging (rMRI) has emerged as a radiation-free alternative to computed tomography (CT) in pediatric neuroimaging. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility, clinical consequences, and subgroup-specific differences in pediatric patients undergoing rMRI for emergency neurosurgical indications.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective, single-center study of 158 rMRIs in 73 pediatric patients who underwent rMRI between January 2017 and December 2023 due to suspected complications of hydrocephalus and brain tumors. A short MRI protocol (195 s) including FLAIR BLADE and T2 HATSE sequences was employed. Patients were categorized into tumor non-related and tumor-related hydrocephalus groups.

Results

A total of 158 rMRIs in 73 pediatric patients were included. The mean age was 7.09 ± 4.63 years, with 69.6% male patients. Ventricular size monitoring was the most common rMRI indication (96.2%). Clinical consequences followed in 52.5% of cases, including surgical interventions (21.5%) and shunt valve adjustments (37.3%). Sedation was required in only 5.1% of patients. Only 1.9% required follow-up CT. Statistically significant intergroup differences were found in drainage type (p < 0.001), diagnosis (p < 0.001), and need for follow-up MRI (17.4% in the tumor-related hydrocephalus group vs. 4.5% in the tumor non-related hydrocephalus group; p = 0.014).

Conclusions

rMRI is a safe, efficient, and effective alternative to CT for emergency neuroimaging in pediatric patients with hydrocephalus, tumors, or shunts. It facilitates timely clinical decision-making while avoiding radiation exposure. Our findings support broader implementation of rMRI protocols, particularly for patients requiring ongoing tumor surveillance.