title: Use of diffusion tensor imaging to examine subacute white matter injury progression in moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate subacute progression of white matter (WM) injury (4.5mo-2.5y postinjury) in patients with traumatic brain injury using diffusion-tensor imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, repeated-measures, within-subjects design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inpatient neurorehabilitation program and teaching hospital MRI department.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brain-injured adults (N=13) with a mean Glasgow Coma Scale score of 7.67+/-4.16.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fractional anisotropy (FA) values were measured at 4.5 and 29 months postinjury in right and left frontal and temporal deep WM tracts and the anterior and posterior corpus callosum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FA significantly decreased in frontal and temporal tracts: right frontal (.38+/-.06 to .30+/-.06; P<.005), left frontal (.37+/-.06 to .32+/-.06; P<.05), right temporal (.28+/-.05 to .22+/-.018; P<.005), and left temporal (.28+/-.05 to .24+/-.02; P<.05). No significant changes were in the corpus callosum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preliminary results demonstrate progression of WM damage as evidenced by interval changes in diffusion anisotropy. Future research should examine the relationship between decreased FA and long-term clinical outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Division of Neuroradiology, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Gahl
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Mikulis
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: DeSouza
authors.forename: Robin E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D055815:Young Adult