Diffusion tensor MRI of the healthy brachial plexus

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Neuroscience
• Radiology

Background:

• Diffusion Tensor MRI (DT-MRI) is a valuable tool for assessing brachial plexus conditions.
• A rapid DT-MRI protocol is needed for efficient clinical evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and assess a fast DT-MRI protocol for the brachial plexus.
• To evaluate the repeatability and age/sex-related correlations of DT-MRI metrics in healthy volunteers.

Main Methods:

• A fast DT-MRI protocol (8min33s scan) was applied to 30 healthy volunteers.
• Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) were quantified.
• Repeatability was assessed using Bland-Altman analysis, CV, ICC, and MDD; correlations with anthropometric data were explored.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in DT-MRI metrics were found between sides or root levels.
• MD, AD, and RD showed significant correlations with bodyweight (P < 0.05).
• Within-subject quantification demonstrated good repeatability with coefficients of variation (CV) for FA, MD, AD, and RD at 16%, 12%, 11%, and 14%, respectively.

Conclusions:

• The developed DT-MRI protocol is rapid and repeatable for brachial plexus imaging.
• Identified correlations with bodyweight are crucial considerations for future research on brachial plexus pathology.