title: Visualization of maturation of the corpus callosum during childhood and adolescence using T2 relaxometry.
abstract: Previous studies have shown that maturation of the white matter in terms of its relative signal intensity changes on MRI is almost complete at 2-3 years of age. We hypothesized that quantitative analysis may show maturation of the white matter during childhood and adolescence. In the present study we performed multi-echo T2 relaxometry in 33 healthy subjects (girls, 15; boys, 18) aged 3-15 years. T2 relaxation times of the genu and splenium were measured. In healthy subjects, the T2 relaxation times were significantly correlated with age in both girls (r=0.611, p=.016) and boys (r=0.721, p=.001) in the splenium, but not in the genu (p>.05). To further confirm genu-to-splenium signal intensity ratio changes, a total of 389 brain MRIs were retrospectively selected from the patients who had normal results (189 girls/women, 200 boys/men; age range, 3-20 years). The genu-to-splenium signal intensity ratio was obtained from the T2-weighted images. In patients with normal MRI, the genu-to-splenium signal intensity ratio was significantly decreased with age (p<.001) by 16 years. The T2 relaxation times gradually increase in the splenium during childhood and adolescence, suggestive of maturation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiological Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, South Korea. eungykim@yuhs.ac
authors.forename: Eung Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong-Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eunhye
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Hae-Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Golay
authors.forename: Seung-Koo
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jinna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012727:Sex Characteristics