Can Magnetic Resonance Imaging Diagnose Pediatric Inflammatory Demyelinating Disorders? A Tertiary Referring Center Experience in Chennai, Tamil Nadu-A Cross-Sectional Study.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing PIDDs in pediatric patients, analyzing imaging findings alongside clinical correlations.

Materials and method: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary referring center in Chennai, involving 34 pediatric patients (aged ≤18 years) referred with suspected or confirmed PIDDs. MRI evaluations, clinical assessments, and laboratory findings were utilized for diagnosis. Demographic data, MRI findings, and clinical symptoms were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: The study revealed a wide age distribution (mean age: 8.53 years), with males comprising 55.9% of participants. Acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis (ADEM) was the most common clinical presentation, with supratentorial lesions being the predominant MRI finding. Overall, MRI demonstrated high sensitivity (82.1%) and specificity (79.3%) in diagnosing PIDDs.

Conclusion: MRI proved valuable in diagnosing pediatric inflammatory demyelinating disorders. Further research should address study limitations and explore longitudinal outcomes to enhance understanding and management of these complex neurological conditions.