Usefulness of DTI-based three dimensional corticospinal tractography in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
- Author:
Ji Hyun YEO
1
;
Su Min SON
;
Eun Sil LEE
;
Han Ku MOON
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Cerebral palsy; Diffusion tensor MR imaging; Fiber tractography; Corticospinal tract
- MeSH: Anisotropy; Cerebral Palsy; Child; Diffusion; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Orientation; Pyramidal Tracts
- From:Korean Journal of Pediatrics 2009;52(1):99-104
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
- Abstract: PURPOSE: Magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging-based three-dimensional fiber tractography (DTI-FT) is a new method which demonstrates the orientation and integrity of white matter fibers in vivo. However, clinical application on children with cerebral palsy is still under investigation. We present various abnormal patterns of DTI-FT findings and accordance rate with clinical findings in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy, to recognize the usefulness of DTI-FT. METHODS: The thirteen children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy evaluated at Yeungnam University hospital from March, 2003 to August, 2007 were enrolled in this study and underwent magnetic resonance DTI-FT of the corticospinal tracts. Two regions of interest (ROI) were applied and the termination criteria were fractional anisotropy > or =0.3, angle< or =70degrees. RESULTS: The patterns and distribution of abnormal DTI-based corticospinal tractographic findings were interruption(10 cases, 76.9%), reduction of fiber volume (8 cases, 61.5%), agenesis of corticospinal tract (3 cases, 23.1%), transcallosal fiber (2 cases, 15.4%) and, aberrant corticospinal tracts (4 cases, 30.8%). Abnormal DTI-based corticospinal tractographic findings were in accordance with the clinical findings of cerebral palsy in 84.6% of the enrolled patients. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that DTI-FT would be a useful modality in the assessment of the corticospinal tract abnormalities in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
