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Age dependence of the renal apparent diffusion coefficient in children

Richard A Jones1, J Damien Grattan-Smith

  • 1Department of Radiology, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1001 Johnson Ferry Road, Atlanta, GA 30342, USA. Richard.Jones@choa.org

Pediatric Radiology
|October 8, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in pediatric kidneys increases with age, particularly in the first year of life. This study quantifies these age-dependent changes in normal kidney development.

Area of Science:

  • Radiology
  • Pediatric Imaging
  • Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Background:

  • Diffusion imaging is crucial for diagnosing brain lesions and is expanding to other organs like the kidneys.
  • Establishing normal apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values is vital for quantitative studies.
  • Significant physiological changes in pediatric kidneys suggest marked age-dependent ADC variations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate age-dependent changes in the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of normal kidneys in pediatric patients.
  • To establish normative ADC values for pediatric kidneys across different ages.

Main Methods:

  • Whole kidney ADC was calculated for 62 pediatric patients.
  • A 1.5-T system with a respiratory-triggered, single-shot diffusion tensor imaging sequence was used.
  • Diffusion imaging utilized b values of 50, 200, and 350 mm(2)/s.

Main Results:

  • The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the kidney increases with age in children.
  • The most significant increase in ADC was observed during the first year of life.
  • The age-related change in ADC followed the equation: 1349 + [358.5 * (age^0.34)], with statistical significance (P<0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Renal apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values change significantly throughout childhood.
  • These findings provide essential normative data for pediatric kidney diffusion imaging.
Abstract

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