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The evolution of the apparent diffusion coefficient in the pediatric brain at low and high diffusion weightings
Author(s) -
Jones Richard A.,
Palasis Susan,
GrattanSmith J. Damien
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.10413
Subject(s) - white matter , effective diffusion coefficient , diffusion , weighting , diffusion imaging , nuclear medicine , diffusion mri , medicine , nuclear magnetic resonance , physics , magnetic resonance imaging , radiology , thermodynamics
Purpose To evaluate the evolution of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) with age for different degrees of diffusion weighting using a clinically feasible approach. Materials and Methods Data was acquired using separate scans with b values in the range typically used for clinical studies (100–900 seconds/mm 2 ) and higher b values (1800–3000 seconds/mm 2 ). The ADC was calculated for each of the data sets by fitting the data to a monoexponential function. Results The results from 50 children aged three years and less showed some deviations from literature values derived using a full biexponential fit, with these differences reflecting the approximations inherent in this approach. The values obtained with this technique appear to be reproducible but the resulting “institutional values” are comparable to those from other centers only if identical measurement criteria are used. Conclusion A significant decline in both components of the ADC during the first few months of life was observed; in addition, the attenuated slow ADC values seen in adult white matter were only present at birth in early myelinating regions. The subsequent development of the slow ADC in white matter suggests that it is associated with myelination or processes associated with axonal development. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2003;18:665–674. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.