title: Optic radiation structure and anatomy in the normally developing brain determined using diffusion MRI and tractography.
abstract: The optic radiation (OR) is a component of the visual system known to be myelin mature very early in life. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and its unique ability to reconstruct the OR in vivo were used to study structural maturation through analysis of DTI metrics in a cohort of 90 children aged 5-18 years. As the OR is at risk of damage during epilepsy surgery, we measured its position relative to characteristic anatomical landmarks. Anatomical distances, DTI metrics and volume of the OR were investigated for age, gender and hemisphere effects. We observed changes in DTI metrics with age comparable to known trajectories in other white matter tracts. Left lateralization of DTI metrics was observed that showed a gender effect in lateralization. Sexual dimorphism of DTI metrics in the right hemisphere was also found. With respect to OR dimensions, volume was shown to be right lateralised and sexual dimorphism demonstrated for the extent of the left OR. The anatomical results presented for the OR have potentially important applications for neurosurgical planning.
authors.affiliation: Imaging and Biophysics Unit, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK, mdayan.research@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dayan
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Munoz
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jentschke
authors.forename: Martin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chadwick
authors.forename: Janine M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Riney
authors.forename: Faraneh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vargha-Khadem
authors.forename: Chris A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers; D065866:Optic Tract / Q000033:anatomy & histology*