Cerebral diffusion tensor imaging in tuberous sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the features of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) in cortical tubers and white-matter lesions in patients with tuberous sclerosis (TS) using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).


METHODS
Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and DTI were performed in 14 patients with clinically established TS. Based on these DT images, ADC and FA maps were generated. The ADC values in 32 cortical tubers, and the ADC and FA values in 18 white-matter lesions were measured and compared with those of the corresponding contralateral regions.


RESULTS
Compared with the corresponding contralateral regions, cortical tubers of TS patients had significantly higher ADC values (P<0.001); white-matter lesions had significantly higher ADC values (P<0.001) and significantly lower FA values (P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
DTI is a useful tool for demonstrating changes in cortical tubers and white-matter lesions resulting from TS.
Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China.
Changfu
C
Piao
Aihong
A
Yu
Kuncheng
K
Li
Yuping
Y
Wang
Wen
W
Qin
Sufang
S
Xue
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014402:Tuberous Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult