MR diffusion tensor imaging and fiber tracking in 5 spinal cord astrocytomas

Spinal cord astrocytomas are rare neoplasms that can result in alteration of the spinal cord structural integrity, which can be assessed by using diffusion tensor imaging methods. Our objective was to visualize the deformation of the posterior spinal cord lemniscal and corticospinal tracts in 5 patients with low-grade astrocytomas compared with 10 healthy volunteers by using 3D fiber-tracking reconstructions.