Open AccessAxial Diffusivity and Tensor Shape as Early Markers to Assess Cerebral White Matter Damage Caused by Brain Tumors Using Quantitative Diffusion Tensor Tractography
Author(s) -
Chen Fei,
Zhang Xin,
Li Ming,
Wang Rong,
Wang HuiTing,
Zhu Feng,
Lu DeJi,
Zhao Hui,
Li JingWei,
Xu Yun,
Zhu Bin,
Zhang Bing
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
cns neuroscience and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1755-5949
pISSN - 1755-5930
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-5949.2012.00354.x
Subject(s) - fractional anisotropy , diffusion mri , white matter , tractography , glioma , medicine , region of interest , nuclear magnetic resonance , thermal diffusivity , nuclear medicine , pathology , magnetic resonance imaging , radiology , physics , cancer research , quantum mechanics
Summary Aims We investigated the usefulness of diffusion tensor tractography ( DTT ) for differentiating between histological pathologies and evaluating white matter ( WM ) damage resulting from brain tumors. We also sought to categorize the appearance of brain tumor–related WM tract changes. Methods A total of 18 inpatients with intracranial neoplasms were enrolled. MRI examinations were performed at 3 T using an 8‐channel phased array coil. DTT was reconstruction from the raw data of diffusion tensor imaging. WM tract–based analysis of the mean diffusivity ( MD ), eigenvalues (λ 1 , λ 2 , λ 3 ), and fractional anisotropy ( FA ) was performed by the manual placement of regions of interest ( ROI s) on the color‐coded FA maps using DTIS tudio software. The axial diffusivity ( DA , namely λ 1 ) and the tensor shape (Cl, namely (λ 1 − λ 2 )/3 (λ)) were also compared between groups. P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results In cases of low‐grade glioma ( LGG ), the tracts adjacent to the tumors displayed the highest levels of invasion. Tract disruption was mainly observed in cases of high‐grade glioma ( HGG ). We found significant differences regarding the FA , MD , DA , and radial diffusivity between ROI s in patients with LGG or HGG . There were also significant differences in DA and tensor shape ( C l) between patients with LGG and HGG . Conclusion Axial diffusivity and C l may be useful early markers for differentiating between LGG and HGG .