[Diffusion tensor tracking of cerebral white matter fibers: a preliminary study].
OBJECTIVE
To study the efficacy of diffusion tensor tracking (DTT) in study of the normal and abnormal cerebral white matter fiber.


METHODS
Ten normal adult volunteers, 5 males and 5 females, aged 40.9 (24-65), and 28 patients with cranial tumors, 9 males and 19 females, aged 43.0 (11-77), underwent MR diffusion tensor. The data thus obtained were transferred to a personal computer and processed with dTV.


RESULTS
The main cerebral white matter fiber pathways were successfully observed. Association fibers, including arcuate fibers, cingulum, superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, commissural fibers (corpus callosum), and projection fibers (corticospinal tract) were revealed. The arcuate fibers, cingulum, superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculus, corticospinal tract, external capsule, optic radiation, and corpus callosum were all involved by intracranial tumors. The abnormality of cerebral white matter could be classified into 4 groups: disruption + infiltration (7 cases), disruption + displacement (10 cases), infiltration + displacement (3 cases), and displacement (8 cases).


CONCLUSIONS
DTT is useful for showing the main normal and abnormal cerebral white mater fiber tracts, thus opening a new field foe research of cerebral white matter fiber in vitro.
He
Guang-wu
GW
Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
Shen
Tian-zhen
TZ
Chen
Xing-rong
XR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000473:pathology; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000473:pathology