Diagnosis of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comorbid autistic traits (ATs) by applying quantitative magnetic resonance imaging techniques

Objective: To explore the feasibility of applying quantitative magnetic resonance imaging techniques for the diagnosis of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comorbid autistic traits (ATs).

Methods: A prospective study was performed by selecting 56 children aged 4-5 years with ADHD-ATs as the study group and 53 sex- and age-matched children with ADHD without ATs as the control group. All children underwent magnetic resonance scans with enhanced T2^*- weighted magnetic resonance angiography (ESWAN), 3D-PCASL, and 3D-T1 sequences. Iron content and cerebral blood flow parameters were obtained via subsequent software processing, and the parameter values in particular brain regions in both groups were compared and analyzed to determine the characteristics of these parameters in children with ADHD-ATs.

Results: Iron content and cerebral blood flow in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, hippocampus, and caudate nucleus of children with ADHD-ATs were lower than those of children with ADHD without ATs (p < 0.05). Iron content and CBF values in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe and caudate nucleus could distinguish children with ADHD-ATs from those without ATs (AUC > 0.5, p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Quantitative magnetic resonance techniques could distinguish children with ADHD-ATs.

Trial registration: This study protocol was registered at the Chinese clinical trial registry (ChiCTR2100046616).