Evaluation of Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings And Its Associated Factors IN Patients With Chronic Headache In Saint Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College Addis Ababa-Ethiopia 2019

Abstract

Abstract Background; Headache is one of the most common complaints that leads patients to seek medical service. Although the majority of patients who present with chronic or recurrent headache have no neurologic abnormality, many undergo evaluation with computed tomography and, more recently, magnetic resonance imaging to exclude important abnormalities. Objective; To evaluate the prevalence of brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging findings of patients with chronic headache and its associated factors in Saint Paul Hospital Millenium medical college. Methods; cross sectional study with retrospective data was conducted on 138 brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging reports done for clinical impression of headache in Saint Paul Hospital Millenium medical college in the period of one year between January 2018- december 2018. Data was collected using data extraction sheet from Saint Paul Hospital Millenium medical college radiology information system and the collected data was analyzed using statistical programs Epi info,Excel and SPSS. Result: Out of 138 patients 89(64.5%) were females and 49 (35.5%) were males.The age group ranged from 15 years to 82 years with the mean of 37 years. About 45% of the patients demonstrated normal MRI findings and 65 % showed some pathology of which 31% are white matter change and 28% has some form of sinusitis (6% have both). Among brain parenchymal pathologies one patient has tectal glioma and one had chronic superior sagittal sinus thrombosis. Choroid fissure cyst,paraital lobe gliosis,cavarnus angioma and idiopatic intracranial hypertension were also found each in one patient. Conclusions: - MRI of patients with chronic headache yields a low percentage of clinically significant positive findings. In the absence of clinical warning criteria of secondary headache, the only reason for MRI scan seems to be reassuring the patients.