title: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the normal human uterus in vivo at 3 tesla: comparison of DTI parameters in the different uterine layers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the differences in the fiber architecture and related diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters among different uterine layers of the normal human uterus in vivo at 3 Tesla (T).
  
  
  METHODS
  DTI of the uterus was performed for nine healthy women of reproductive age on a 3T scanner. A volume of interest (VOI) was drawn for the outer myometrium (OM), junctional zone (JZ), and endometrium (EM). Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA), and maximum fiber length were compared using paired Student's t-tests. Fibers were classified into four groups and were visually evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ADC (×10(-3) mm(2) /s) was highest for OM (1.12), followed by EM (0.97) and JZ (0.83) (OM versus JZ, P < 0.0001; JZ versus EM, P = 0.0001; OM versus EM, P = 0.0057). FA was highest for JZ (0.297), followed by OM (0.257) and EM (0.186) (OM versus JZ, P = 0.0002; JZ versus EM, P < 0.0001; OM versus EM, P < 0.0001). Fibers were longest in OM (42.0 mm), followed by JZ (34.2 mm) and EM (20.0 mm). Circularly oriented fibers were observed in 69% in OM and in 70% in JZ.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DTI of the uterus in vivo revealed layer-wise differences in the microstructure of the uterus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Aki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kido
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uchikoshi
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Togashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014599:Uterus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: diffusion tensor imaging; diffusion weighted imaging; female pelvis; myometrium; uterus