title: Corticospinal Tract Injury Precedes Thalamic Volume Reduction in Preterm Infants with Cystic Periventricular Leukomalacia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure both fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the corticospinal tracts (CSTs) and volume of the thalami in preterm infants with cystic periventricular leukomalacia (c-PVL) and to compare these measurements with control infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preterm infants with c-PVL and controls with magnetic resonance imaging data acquired between birth and term equivalent age (TEA) were retrospectively identified in 2 centers. Tractography of the CST and segmentation of the thalamus were performed, and values from infants with c-PVL and controls were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-three subjects with c-PVL and 31 preterm controls were identified. All had at least 1 scan up to TEA, and multiple scans were performed in 31 infants. A significant difference in FA values of the CST was found between cases and controls on the scans both before and at TEA. Absolute thalamic volumes were significantly reduced at TEA but not on the earlier scans. Data acquired in infancy showed lower FA values in infants with c-PVL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Damage to the CST can be identified on the early scan and persists, whereas the changes in thalamic volume develop in the weeks between the early and term equivalent magnetic resonance imaging. This may reflect the difference between acute and remote effects of the extensive injury to the white matter caused by c-PVL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital and Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Karina J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Kersbergen
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital and Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital and Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Floris
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Groenendaal
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital and Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ingrid C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: van Haastert
authors.affiliation: Center for the Developing Brain, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Andrew T M
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.affiliation: Center for the Developing Brain, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Biomedical Image Analysis Group, Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Antonios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Makropoulos
authors.affiliation: Center for the Developing Brain, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sarah L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hammersmith Campus, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Frances M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital and Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Center for the Developing Brain, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Manon J N L
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Benders
authors.affiliation: Center for the Developing Brain, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Serena J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Counsell
mesh_terms: D016880:Anisotropy; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007969:Leukomalacia, Periventricular / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology*