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Published on: September 12, 2011
White matter microstructure on diffusion tensor imaging is associated with conventional magnetic resonance imaging
Heidi M Feldman1, Eliana S Lee, Irene M Loe
1Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. hfeldman@stanford.edu
Insights
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) reveals white matter differences in preterm children, linking injury scores to microstructural changes. DTI may not distinguish high-functioning preterm children from term-born peers.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Preterm birth can impact white matter development, affecting long-term neurological outcomes.
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a sensitive MRI technique for assessing white matter microstructure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare white matter architecture in preterm- and term-born children using DTI.
- To investigate factors associated with DTI measures in preterm children, including injury scores and cognitive function.
Main Methods:
- 121 children (9-16 years) including 58 preterm and 63 term-born participants underwent DTI.
- Tract-based spatial statistics analyzed diffusion measures: fractional anisotropy, axial, radial, and mean diffusivity.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in fractional anisotropy (FA) were found between preterm and term groups.
- In preterm children, FA was associated with white matter injury scores and, at one site, with IQ.
- Sex, gestational age, and birthweight were not associated with FA in preterm children.
Conclusions:
- DTI highlights individual white matter variations in preterm children, particularly related to injury severity.
- DTI may not differentiate a high-functioning preterm cohort from term-born controls, suggesting resilience or compensatory mechanisms.
Aim:
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to evaluate white matter architecture after preterm birth. The goals were (1) to compare white matter microstructure in two cohorts of preterm- and term-born children; and (2) within preterm groups, to determine if sex, gestational age, birthweight, white matter injury score from conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or IQ was associated with DTI measures.
Method:
Participants (n=121; 66 females, 55 males) were aged 9 to 16 years. They comprised 58 preterm children (site 1, n=25; and site 2, n=33) born at less than 36 weeks' gestation (mean 29.4 wks; birthweight 1289g) and 63 term children (site 1, n=40; site 2, n=23) born at more than 37 weeks' gestation. DTI was analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics. Diffusion measures were fractional anisotropy, axial, radial, and mean diffusivity.
Results:
In no region of the white matter skeleton was fractional anisotropy lower in the preterm group at either site. Within the preterm groups, fractional anisotropy was significantly associated with white matter injury score, but not sex, gestational age, or birthweight. At site 1, fractional anisotropy was associated with IQ.
Interpretation:
DTI contributes to understanding individual differences after preterm birth but may not differentiate a relatively high-functioning group of preterm children from a matched group of term-born children.
