Age related diffusion and tractography changes in typically developing pediatric cervical and thoracic spinal cord

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Pediatric Neuroscience
• Spinal Cord Imaging

Background:

• Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) assess spinal cord white matter integrity.
• Previous research indicates age-related changes in DTI indices.
• Understanding pediatric spinal cord maturation is crucial for interpreting neuroimaging findings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate maturational states of the pediatric spinal cord using DTI and DTT indices.
• To analyze DTI and DTT parameters across different spinal cord levels and age groups.

Main Methods:

• 23 typically developing pediatric subjects (6-16 years) underwent 3.0T MR scanning.
• DTI and DTT data were acquired for the entire spinal cord (C1-mid L1).
• Analysis involved fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), tract density, and fiber tract length, compared between age groups (6-11 vs. 12-16 years).

Main Results:

• Significant increases in FA, white matter tract density, and mean fiber tract length were observed with age.
• A significant decrease in mean diffusivity (MD) was noted with increasing age.
• DTI and DTT parameters demonstrated variations along different spinal cord levels.

Conclusions:

• This study provides initial insights into age-related DTI and DTT changes in the pediatric spinal cord.
• Observed differences are attributed to decreasing water content, myelination, and fiber tract thickening during maturation.
• Age and level-matched normative datasets are recommended for accurate quantitative DTI/DTT interpretation in pediatric populations.