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Whole brain diffusion tensor imaging in HIV-associated cognitive impairment
Ann B Ragin1, Pippa Storey, Bruce A Cohen
1Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology
|February 19, 2004
Summary
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) reveals reduced whole brain fractional anisotropy in HIV patients, correlating with cognitive impairment severity. DTI shows prognostic value for assessing HIV-associated dementia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Radiology
Background:
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) can cause significant neuropathologic changes.
- Cognitive impairment is a common complication of HIV infection.
- Quantitative Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging offers potential for assessing these changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the prognostic significance of whole brain histogram-derived diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) indices.
- To assess the relationship between DTI indices and cognitive impairment severity in HIV.
- To examine the association with clinical status measures in HIV.
Main Methods:
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to acquire quantitative indices.
- Whole brain fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were compared.
- Six HIV patients and eight healthy controls were studied.
Main Results:
- Whole brain fractional anisotropy (FA) was significantly reduced in HIV patients compared to controls.
- Reduced FA was strongly associated with the severity of dementia.
- FA measures were more prognostic of dementia status than ADC measures.
Conclusions:
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a valuable tool for noninvasive assessment.
- DTI can measure neuropathologic changes in HIV-associated cognitive impairment.
- This supports DTI's use in clinical research for HIV.