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Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: July 28, 2013
Tumor effects on cerebral white matter as characterized by diffusion tensor tractography
Corie W Wei1, Gang Guo, David J Mikulis
1Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
Summary
Diffusion tensor MRI fiber tractography (DTT) non-invasively maps white matter tracts. This study shows DTT reveals tumor effects like disruption, displacement, and infiltration in brain neoplasms.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurosurgery
- Oncology
Background:
- Diffusion tensor MRI fiber tractography (DTT) is a non-invasive in vivo technique for mapping white matter (WM) tracts.
- DTT can illustrate the relationship between cerebral neoplasms and adjacent WM trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess tumor-induced changes in white matter trajectories using fiber tractography in cerebral neoplasms.
- To analyze patterns of white matter alteration in glioblastoma multiforme, meningioma, and anaplastic astrocytoma.
Main Methods:
- Utilized fiber tractography to evaluate white matter changes in three cases of cerebral neoplasm.
- Included glioblastoma multiforme, meningioma, and anaplastic astrocytoma in the analysis.
Main Results:
- Identified three patterns of white matter alteration: disruption, displacement, and infiltration.
- Observed disruption in glioblastoma multiforme, displacement in meningioma, and both disruption and infiltration in anaplastic astrocytoma.
- DTT demonstrated specific tract alterations, such as corpus callosum fiber termination and corticospinal tract displacement.
Conclusions:
- Fiber tracking results correlated with clinical and histopathological tumor features.
- Further studies with larger case series are needed to evaluate DTT's accuracy in tumor grading.
