ROLE OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING IN THE EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENTS IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS

Abstract

Objective: to assess the role of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) in relation to clinical, metabolic, and psychoneurological disorders.Material and methods. Fifty-eight patients aged 16 to 30 years with DM1 were examined; a control group consisted of 29 healthy young people matched by gender and age. Their examination involved clinical, metabolic, and psychological testing. The quality of life was assessed using the general Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (MOS SF-36) and the specific Audit-Dependent Quality of Life (AdDQoL). The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoСа test) was employed to screen for cognitive impairments. All the patients were advised by a neurologist. Brain MRI using a 1.0 T Siemens Magnetom scanner was carried out to evaluate structural changes in the central nervous system.Results. The examination of the patients with DM1 revealed the signs of grey matter atrophy, enlarged Virchow–Robin spaces, white matter injury, which correlated with the presence of chronic hyperglycemia, cognitive impairments, and microvascular complications.Conclusions. Routine brain MRI is best carried out in patients with DM1 and poor disease control to timely implement therapeuticand-prophylactic measures for preventing cognitive impairments and improving the quality of life.

Keywords

• type 1 diabetes mellitus
• magnetic resonance imaging
• cognitive impairments
• quality of life