title: Quantitative brain diffusion-tensor MRI findings in patients with sickle cell disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the microstructure of various regions of the brain using diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and in age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. We also investigated the fiber tractography findings of the corpus callosum (CC) and corticospinal tracts (CSTs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen right-handed patients with SCD and 14 age- and sex-matched right-handed healthy control subjects were scanned using conventional MR sequences and DTI. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) were calculated and regions of interest were selected in various brain areas (superior and inferior frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal white matter areas), anterior and posterior periventricular areas, centrum semiovale, basal ganglia (lentiform nucleus, head of caudate nucleus), thalamus, cerebral peduncles, pons, cerebellar white matter areas, and CC. Diffusion-tensor tractography of the CC and CSTs was also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the patients with SCD, significantly reduced FA values, increased ADC values, or both were seen clustered in several brain areas, including the CC, frontal white matter, centrum semiovale, periventricular areas, head of the caudate nucleus, thalamus, brainstem, and pons (p < 0.05). Statistically significant reductions in fiber counts in the first and fifth segments of the CC and in CSTs bilaterally were also observed in patients with SCD (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DTI shows microstructural abnormalities of various brain areas in patients with SCD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mustafa Kemal University, Faculty of Medicine, Serinyol Kampüsü, Antakya, Hatay, Turkey. alibalciradyolog@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balci
authors.forename: Sinem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karazincir
authors.forename: Yeliz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Beyoglu
authors.forename: Cihangir
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cingiz
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Davran
authors.forename: Edip
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gali
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Okuyucu
authors.forename: Ertugrul
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Egilmez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D016880:Anisotropy; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric