title: Diffusion tensor MR imaging of white matter integrity in HIV-positive patients with planning deficit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate whether normal controls and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients with and without planning deficits differ on white matter integrity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 34 HIV-positive patients with planning deficits were compared with 13 HIV-positive patients without planning deficits and 19 gender-, age-, and education-matched control subjects. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was performed along 30 noncolinear directions in a 1.5-T scanner. For tract-based spatial statistics analysis, a white matter skeleton was created, and a permutation-based inference with 5000 permutations with a threshold of p < 0.05 was used to identify abnormalities in fractional anisotropy (FA). The median, radial, and axial diffusivities were also projected onto the mean FA skeleton.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with controls, HIV-positive patients with planning deficits had decreased FA in bilateral anterior thalamic radiations, bilateral inferior fronto-occiptal fasciculi, genu and splenium of the corpus callosum, bilateral superior longitudinal fascicule, and bilateral uncinate fasciculi. Compared to HIV-positive patients without planning deficits, patients with planning deficits had decreased FA in bilateral anterior thalamic radiations, bilateral inferior fronto-occiptal fasciculi, genu of the corpus callosum, bilateral superior longitudinal fascicule, and right uncinate fascicule.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DTI can detect extensive white matter abnormalities in the normal-appearing white matter of HIV-positive patients with planning deficits compared with controls and HIV-positive patients without planning deficits.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Rua Rodolpho Paulo Rocco 255, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941913, Brazil, diogogoulartcorrea@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Diogo Goulart
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Corrêa
authors.forename: Nicolle
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Doring
authors.forename: Nina Ventura
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Wilner
authors.forename: Sarah C B
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Rafael Ferracini
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.forename: Rochele Paz
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: Paulo R V
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Bahia
authors.forename: Emerson Leandro
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Gasparetto
mesh_terms: D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D066127:White Matter / Q000473:pathology*