title: Neonatal tract-based spatial statistics findings and outcome in preterm infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  WM injury is associated with different disabilities that children born prematurely may experience during their lives. The aim of this study was to use TBSS to test the hypothesis that WM microstructure at TEA in preterm infants is correlated with cognitive and motor outcome at 2-year corrected age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-three preterm infants, born at a mean gestational age of 28.7 weeks, underwent MR imaging and DTI at TEA. Neurodevelopmental performance was assessed by using the BSITD-III. Voxelwise analysis of the DTI data was performed by using TBSS to assess the relationship among FA, AD, and RD at TEA, and cognitive, fine-motor, and gross-motor scores at 2-year corrected age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cognitive scores were correlated with FA values in the CC. Fine-motor scores were correlated with FA and RD throughout the WM. Gross-motor scores were associated with RD in the CC, fornix, and internal and external capsule.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  WM microstructure in preterm infants at TEA was associated with cognitive, fine-motor, and gross-motor performance at 2-year corrected age. This study suggests that TBSS of DTI data at TEA has the potential to be used as a biomarker for subsequent neurodevelopment.
authors: Department of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital/University Medical Centre Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors: B J M
authors: BJ
authors: van Kooij
authors: L S
authors: LS
authors: de Vries
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Ball
authors: I C
authors: IC
authors: van Haastert
authors: M J N L
authors: MJ
authors: Benders
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Groenendaal
authors: S J
authors: SJ
authors: Counsell
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011379:Prognosis