Christina Louise Tosti1, Jordan Muraskin1, Xavier Golay2, Jiraporn Laothamatas3, Marc Van Cauteren4, Melvyn B. Ooi1, Varinee Lekprasert3, Noppadon Tangpukdee3, Srivicha Krudsood3, Wattana Leowattana3, Sornchai Looareesuwan3, Polrat Wilairatana3, Robert L. DeLaPaz1, Gary M. Brittenham1, Adam M. Brickman1, Truman R. Brown1
1Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; 2University College London, London, UK; 3Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; 4Philips Healthcare Systems Asia Pacific, Tokyo, Japan
A better understanding of the pathogenesis of malaria is needed to reduce fatalities and combat emerging drug resistance. P. falciparum malaria remains entirely within the vascular space of the brain, and the means whereby it can cause severe neurological dysfunction, coma and death are unknown. To assess the sensitivity of MR to cerebral changes in malaria and, in particular, changes in the apparent diffusion coefficient, we performed serial MRI studies at 3T in adult patients admitted for malarial treatment in Bangkok, Thailand and compared the results to controls using a voxelwise analysis.
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