title: Diffusion tensor imaging for predicting hand motor outcome in chronic stroke patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have indicated that diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) values are related to clinical outcome in stroke patients. This prospective study explored whether DTI values were predictive for hand function outcome in chronic stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The DTI parameters (rλ1, rλ23, fractional anisotropy [rFA] and mean diffusivity [rMD]) were investigated in patients with completely paralysed hands (CPH; n=10) or partially paralysed hands (PPH; n=10), by two methods of analysis: segment of the corticospinal tract [sCST] analysis; pure region of interest [ROI] analysis. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between the DTI parameters and the following clinical measures: Fugl-Meyer Assessment [FMA]; National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS].
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences were found between CPH and PPH for rFA and rλ23 (sCST analysis) and for rMD and rλ23 (ROI analysis). The rλ23 (sCST analysis) correlated with the NIHSS; the rMD (sCST analysis) correlated with the FMA (hand).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The three parameters, rFA, rλ23 and rMD may have predictive value for evaluating hand function outcome in chronic stroke patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: D-Z
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Y-S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: M-X
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: H-H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: X-L
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Nan
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: C-X
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: C-S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: L-H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Y-M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Q-J
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010243:Paralysis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000503:physiopathology; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*