Tractography of developing white matter of the internal capsule and corpus callosum in very preterm infants.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate in preterm infants associations between Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) parameters of the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) and corpus callosum (CC) and age, white matter (WM) injury and clinical factors.


METHODS
In 84 preterm infants DTI was performed between 40-62 weeks postmenstrual age on 3 T MR. Fractional anisotropy (FA), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and fibre lengths through the PLIC and the genu and splenium were determined. WM injury was categorised as normal/mildly, moderately and severely abnormal. Associations between DTI parameters and age, WM injury and clinical factors were analysed.


RESULTS
A positive association existed between FA and age at imaging for fibres through the PLIC (r = 0.48 p < 0.001) and splenium (r = 0.24 p < 0.01). A negative association existed between ADC and age at imaging for fibres through the PLIC (r = -0.65 p < 0.001), splenium (r = -0.35 p < 0.001) and genu (r = -0.53 p < 0.001). No association was found between DTI parameters and gestational age, degree of WM injury or categorical clinical factors.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that in our cohort of very preterm infants, at this young age, the development of the PLIC and CC is ongoing and independent of the degree of prematurity or WM injury.
de Bruïne
Francisca T
FT
Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. F.T.Wiggers-de_Bruine@lumc.nl
van Wezel-Meijler
Gerda
G
Leijser
Lara M
LM
van den Berg-Huysmans
Annette A
AA
van Steenis
Andrea
A
van Buchem
Mark A
MA
van der Grond
Jeroen
J
D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D020772:Internal Capsule / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity