Incidental radiological findings on brain magnetic resonance imaging in first-episode psychosis and chronic schizophrenia

Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether patients with first-episode psychosis or chronic schizophrenia have an increased incidence of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain abnormalities compared with control subjects. Method: Totally 340 clinical MRI reports [Controls (n = 98), first-episode psychoses (n = 152), chronic schizophrenia (n = 90)] were reported by a neuroradiologist blind to diagnosis and subsequently categorized using referral criteria (immediate, urgent, routine or no referral). Results: Thirty percent of all scans were reported by a neuro-radiologist as abnormal, but the majority required no referral. Patients with chronic schizophrenia were more likely to have clinically signific..