MRI Evaluation of Central Nervous System in Childhood Developmental Delay

Background: Developmental delay is defined as significant delay (more than two standard deviations below the mean) in one or more developmental domains. Developmental delay does not represent a diagnosis, but a term used in different clinical presentations and prognosis, which covers a wide range of etiologies including genetic, metabolic, endocrine, vascular, mal formation syndromes, traumatic, infections, toxins & environmental causes. Careful evaluation and investigation can reveal a cause. Aim of our study to observe efficacy of MRI brain in children with developmental delay and to categories it’s various causes. Subjects and Methods: Record based cross sectional study was done in 200 children, who presented to department of pediatrics with developmental delay and subsequently underwent MRI study.Results:Out of 200 patients 145(72.5%) shows abnormal MRI findings. Most common MRI diagnosis of developmental delay was neurovascular insult (29.5%) followed by structural malformation (21%), infective/inflammatory disorder (17%), metabolic disorders (2.5%) and neoplastic (2.5%). Neurovascular insult was commonly found in 1-5 years of age.Conclusion: MRI is the most useful investigation in patients clinically suspicious for developmental delay and can help in diagnosing the underlying etiology. Other than no of lesions and predominant localization of lesions, encephalomalacia, gliosis, atrophy, structural malformations and neoplastic lesions, ventriculomegaly,micro or megalencephaly are useful features to diagnose underlying cause of developmental delay.