RESUMO -Apresentamos um estudo das alterações anátomo-funcionais do sistema nervoso central (SNC) de pacientes com transtorno autístico (TA), através da ressonância nuclear magnética (RNM) e da tomografia computadorizada por emissão de fóton único (SPECT). Foram estudados 24 pacientes, sendo 15 (62,5%) do sexo masculino e 9 (17,5%) do feminino, com idade média de 9 anos. Todos os pacientes foram submetidos à RNM e apenas em 19 foi realizado o SPECT. Dos pacientes que realizaram RNM, 75% apresentaram alterações anatômicas e dos que realizaram o SPECT todos apresentaram alterações funcionais. As alterações anatômicas estavam preferencialmente localizadas no corpo caloso (25%), septo pelúcido (15,63%), ventrículos cerebrais (12,55%), cerebelo (9,38%), lobo temporal (6,25%), lobo occipital (6,25%) e hipocampo (6,25%). As alterações funcionais predominaram no lobo frontal (53,13%), lobo temporal (28,13%) , lobo parietal (15,63%) e nos núcleos da base (3,13%). A presença de alterações anátomo-funcionais do SNC não são prioritárias para o diagnóstico, o qual deve ter sempre uma validação clínica.
PALAVRAS-CHAVE: autismo, RNM, SPECT.
Anatomical and functional abnormalities of central nervous system in autistic disorder: a MRI and SPECT studyABSTRACT -We present a study of anatomical and functional abnormalities of central nervous system (CNS) from patients with autistic disorder (AD); magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) were used for the investigation. The population studied was composed of 24 patients, 15 (62.5%) males and 9 (17.5%) females, mean age 9 years. MRI was performed in all patients and SPECT was performed in 19 patients; 75% (n=18) of patients had anatomical abnormalities and all patients that realized SPECT had functional abnormalities. Anatomical abnormalities were preferentially noted in corpus callosum (25%), septum pellucidum (15.63%), cerebral ventricules (12.55%), cerebellum (9.38%), temporal lobes (6.25%), occipital lobes (6.25%) and hippocampus (6.25%). Functional abnormalities predominated in frontal lobes (53.13%), temporal lobes (28.13%), parietal lobes (15.63%) and basal ganglia (3.13%). However, anatomical and functional abnormalities of CNS are not priorities for diagnosis, which should have always clinical validation.