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Published on: December 15, 2014
Longitudinal Morphometric Changes in the Corticospinal Tract Shape After Hemorrhagic Stroke
Seth B Boren1, Sean I Savitz1, Nicole Gonzales1,2
1Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases and Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Deep intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) deforms corticospinal tracts (CST), particularly along the left-right and superior-inferior axes. This deformation, linked to hematoma volume, shows significant changes early after ICH, suggesting potential CST restoration over time.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Medical Imaging
- Biomechanical Engineering
Background:
- Deep intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) can directly impact corticospinal tract (CST) integrity and function.
- Quantifying the dynamic shape changes of the CST following ICH is crucial for understanding neurological deficits and recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and apply a novel method for quantifying the temporal changes in CST shape deformation after deep ICH.
- To investigate the primary directions and extent of CST deformation in relation to hematoma volume and time post-ICH.
Main Methods:
- Utilized serial 3T-MRI scans (day 2 and day 84 post-onset) from 35 deep ICH patients.
- Employed Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) to identify 15 landmarks on the ipsilesional and contralesional CST.
- Applied Generalized Procrustes Analysis (GPA) and multivariate Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to quantify and analyze CST shape changes.
Main Results:
- The first three principal components (PCs) explained 57.9% of CST shape variance, with PC1 (left-right) and PC3 (superior-inferior) showing significant deformation.
- Ipsilesional CST shape differed significantly from the contralesional reference, particularly at the first time point, indicating early deformation.
- A positive association was found between ipsilesional CST deformation and hematoma volume.
Conclusions:
- A novel quantitative method effectively captures CST deformation caused by deep ICH.
- CST deformation predominantly occurs along the left-right and superior-inferior axes.
- Observed temporal differences suggest a potential for CST shape restoration after the acute phase of ICH.
