[Correlation between age and average apparent diffusion coefficient in normal-appearing cerebral white matter].
OBJECTIVE
To quantitatively study the effect of ages on the average apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCav) of normal-appearing white matter.


METHODS
Fifty patients with normal-appearing white matter were divided into four age groups, namely 16-30 years, (n=13), 31-45 years (n=12), 46-60 years (n=14) and >60 years (n=11). All the subjects were examined with conventional and trace-weighted diffusion imaging in three orthogonal directions. The ADCav of the white matter was measured and compared between various age groups.


RESULTS
In the white matter, the ADCav of all the patients was (0.71+/-0.08) x 10(-3) mm2/s; the ADCav of the white matter in the first to fourth age groups were (0.69+/-0.06) x 10(-3) mm2/s, (0.71+/-0.07) x 10(-3) mm2/s, (0.71+/-0.09) x 10(-3) mm2/s, and (0.73+/-0.10) x 10(-3) mm2/s respectively. ADCav of patients between 16-30 years was significantly different from that of patients over 60 years of age (P=0.014). Patients older than 60 years had an ADCav of the white matter significantly higher than the value of (0.70+/-0.07) x 10(-3) mm2)/s in the total patients younger than 60 years (P=0.026).


CONCLUSIONS
Water diffusibility shows a slight increase in human white matter with aging, possibly due to mild ultrastructural changes associated with aging.
Zhao
Xiu-yi
XY
Diagnostic Imaging Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Zhang
Xue-lin
XL
Wang
Jin
J
Chen
Bin
B
Cang
Peng
P
Chang
Ren-min
RM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D013788:Thalamus / Q000033:anatomy & histology