Investigating the Incidence of Cerebral Microhemorrhage in Active Professional Football Players Through Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging Cerebral Microhemorrhages in Professional Football Players
Introduction: This study assesses the effectiveness of susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) in detecting microbleeds from repetitive head trauma in active professional football players. The investigation aims to contribute to the ongoing discussion about the long-term neurological effects of profes...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Galenos Yayinevi
2025-05-01
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| Series: | İstanbul Medical Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://istanbulmedicaljournal.org/articles/investigating-the-incidence-of-cerebral-microhemorrhage-in-active-professional-football-players-through-susceptibility-weighted-imaging-cerebral-microhemorrhages-in-professional-football-players/doi/imj.galenos.2025.99897 |
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| Summary: | Introduction: This study assesses the effectiveness of susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) in detecting microbleeds from repetitive head trauma in active professional football players. The investigation aims to contribute to the ongoing discussion about the long-term neurological effects of professional football and the efficacy of advanced imaging techniques in detecting subtle brain changes.
Methods: We collected data from 60 cases, including 30 professional footballers from the top football league and 30 healthy volunteers. Players’ age, average playing time, total number of matches, average matches per player, and total number of traumatic concussions were calculated. SWI was conducted using a 3T magnetic resonance imaging device, and two experienced neuroradiologists independently evaluated the SWI. Group microbleeding rates were compared using the Fisher’s exact test.
Results: The average duration of a football career among the participants was 7.14 years, and a total of 5647 matches were held, with an average of 38.4 games per footballer, and 15 traumatic concussions in total. No microhemorrhage was found in SWI of either the footballer or the control group. The evaluations of the two radiologists are in harmony, strengthening the validity of the study’s findings.
Conclusion: The study shows no additional micro bleeding in football players compared to the control group, indicating the potential of SWI in detecting traumatic brain injuries. However, this does not necessarily mean that professional football does not cause microbleeds. Further research with larger sample sizes and longitudinal designs is recommended to validate these findings and explore other potential neurological effects of repetitive head trauma in football. |
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| ISSN: | 2619-9793 2148-094X |