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Updated: Aug 5, 2025
Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: July 28, 2013
Role of regional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-derived tensor metrics in the evaluation of intracranial gliomas and
Rakesh Kumar1, K P Shijith2, B Dhanalakshmi3
1Graded Specialist (Radiodiagnosis), 165 Military Hospital, C/o 99 APO, India.
Background:
The imaging of brain tumours has significantly improved with the use of advanced magnetic resonance (MR) techniques like diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). This study was conducted to analyse the utility of DTI-derived tensor metrics in the evaluation of intracranial gliomas with histopathological correlation and further adoption of these image-data analyses in clinical setting.
Methods:
A total of 50 patients with suspected diagnosis of intracranial gliomas underwent DTI along with conventional MR examination. The study correlated various DTI parameters in the enhancing part of the tumour and the peritumoral region with the histopathological grades of the intracranial gliomas.
Results:
The study revealed higher values of Cl (linear anisotropy), Cp (planar anisotropy), AD (axial diffusivity), FA (fractional anisotropy) and RA (relative anisotropy) and lower values of Cs (spherical anisotropy), MD (mean diffusivity) and RD (radial diffusivity) in the enhancing part of the tumour in case of high-grade gliomas. However, in the peritumoral region, the values of Cl, Cp, AD, FA and RA were less whereas values of Cs, MD and RD were more in high-grade gliomas than in the low-grade gliomas. The various cutoff values of these DTI-derived tensor metrics were found to be statistically significant.
Conclusion:
DTI-derived tensor metrics can be a valuable tool in differentiation between high-grade and low-grade gliomas which might be accepted in clinical practice in near future.
