title: Potential of diffusion tensor MR imaging in the assessment of cognitive impairments in children with periventricular leukomalacia born preterm.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate MR diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and fiber tractography (FT) in the assessment of altered major white matter fibers correlated with cognitive functions in preterm infants with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), to explore the neural foundation for PVL children's cognitive impairments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty six preterm infants (16 ± 4.7 months) suffered from PVL and 16 age-matched normal controls were recruited. Developmental quotient (DQ) was recorded to evaluate PVL children's cognitive functions. According to the DQ scores, patients were divided into three groups: mild, moderate and severe cognitive impairment groups. DTI scan was performed. Fractional anisotropy (FA) values of major white matter fibers were measured and their correlation with cognitive levels was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the control group, the PVL group showed a significant mean FA reduction in bilateral corticospinal tract (CST), anterior/posterior limb of internal capsule (ICAL/ICPL), arcuate fasciculus (AF), corona radiate (CR), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), splenium of corpus callosum (SCC) (p<0.05) and bilateral posterior thalamic radiation (PTR) (p<0.01). The FA values of left CST, bilateral AF, anterior cingulum (ACG), SLF, ICAL, ICPL, PTR, CR, genu of corpus callosum (GCC), SCC and middle cerebellar peduncle showed significant negative correlations with the cognitive levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DTI can provide more information for understanding the pathophysiology of cognitive impairment in preterm infants with PVL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The First Hospital, China Medical University, #155, Nanjing North St., Heping Dist., Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, China. jelly_66@126.com
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guoguang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ci
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007969:Leukomalacia, Periventricular / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity