Does diving damage the brain? MR control study of divers' central nervous system

Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence of cerebral white matter changes on MR imaging in healthy elderly compressed air divers with a long diving history in comparison with control subjects who have never dived. Material and Methods: The investigation employed 59 experienced elderly div ers and 48 control subjects matched for age, body mass index, alcohol and s moking history. MR studies included a fluid attenuated inversion recovery s equence and T1- and T2-weighted pre- and postcontrast images in axial orien tation of the whole brain to localize white matter changes. Results: MR images did not show any morphologic abnormalities in the brains of divers. Both groups - divers and controls - did not differ significantl y with respect to white matter changes of the brain. Conclusion: No increased prevalence of cerebral white matter changes in com pressed air divers compared with a healthy worker sample of similar age wer e found. Thus, extensive compressed air diving may not necessarily be relat ed to radiological changes on MR.