Increased brain apparent diffusion coefficient in tuberous sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the water diffusivity of normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex compared with that in control subjects.


METHODS
Diffusion and conventional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging examinations were performed in 18 patients with clinically established tuberous sclerosis complex (10 male and eight female patients; mean age, 20.1 years; range, 12-30 years), as well as in 18 age-matched control subjects (nine male and nine female; mean age, 20.2 years; range, 11-28 years). Apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) were generated, and small elliptic regions of interest were manually placed both in perilesional NAWM and in six anatomic locations of NAWM remote from hamartomatous lesions. Perilesional ADCs were compared with those at the same anatomic site on the contralateral side of the brain (generalized linear regression analysis). ADCs from the predetermined sites in patients were compared with those in control subjects (generalized linear regression analysis).


RESULTS
Supratentorial ADCs were higher in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex than in control subjects, and statistically significant differences were observed in the occipital white matter, frontal white matter, centrum semiovale, parietal white matter, and corona radiata (for each location, P <.001). Significant increases were also seen in the perilesional NAWM compared with NAWM at the same anatomic locations on the contralateral side (P <.001). Infratentorial ADCs were normal.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant ADC increases were measured in the supratentorial NAWM.
Garaci
Francesco G
FG
Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy. francescogaraci@tiscali.it
Floris
Roberto
R
Bozzao
Alessandro
A
Manenti
Guglielmo
G
Simonetti
Alessandra
A
Lupattelli
Tommaso
T
Curatolo
Paolo
P
Simonetti
Giovanni
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D014402:Tuberous Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis*