Application of MRI Radiomics to Improve Diagnosis and Pharmacologica Prognosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to a group of neurodevelopmental disorders including autism.Despite ongoing studies, the pathogenesis of ASD still remains unclear.The global prevalence of ASD was estimated at 1% in 2015.The diagnostic criteria for ASD are specified in the DSM ( American Psychiatric Association, 2013 ) and serve as guideline for clinicians at the present. However, its early diagnosis value is limited due to a high subjectivities and its low diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.Early detection and early pharmacological and behavioral interventions are critical in improving the symptoms and preventing the disease progression. There are no medications that directly treat the core symptoms present in individuals with ASD, and the effectiveness of interventions remains limited. Therefore, accurate assessment of pharmacological efficacy is necessary for the reatment, and prognostication of individuals with ASD. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a commonly used imaging tool for clinical disease diagnosis, especially for neurological disorders. Besides, Structural Magnetic Resonance imaging reflects neuropathological and microstructural developmental changes during growth. Radiomics based on the high-dimensional quantitation of medical images, allowing extraction of more detailed characteristics than is possible with conventional visual interpretation. This study aims: (1)To explore an objective diagnostic method through radiomics in children with ASD (2)to provide prognostic estimates of the outcome, based on estimates of an individual patient's prognosis and the efficacy of different drug therapies.