title: Diffusion-Tensor Imaging of Thigh Muscles in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Correlation of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient and Fractional Anisotropy Values With Fatty Infiltration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values with fatty infiltration in the thigh muscles of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) using diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one boys with DMD were recruited. The grade of fatty infiltration and the ADC and FA values of four thigh muscles (rectus femoris, semitendinosus, sartorius, and gracilis) were measured, and the FA and ADC values were compared with the grade of fatty infiltration. Twenty age-matched healthy boys were enrolled as the control group. The differences in the ADC and FA values of the thigh muscles between patients with DMD and the control group were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients with DMD showed lower FA values and higher ADC values in all measured muscles when compared with the control group. The FA and ADC values were correlated with the grade of fatty infiltration. For the rectus femoris muscle, r = -0.753 and p = 0.007 for FA, and r = 0.685 and p = 0.001 for ADC. For the semitendinosus muscle, r = -0.621 and p = 0.041 for FA, and r = 0.705 and p = 0.021 for ADC. For the sartorius muscle, r = -0.662 and p = 0.027 for FA, and r = 0.701 and p = 0.017 for ADC. For the gracilis muscle, r = -0.618 and p = 0.043 for FA, and r = 0.695 and p = 0.022 for ADC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Damage to the thigh muscles in patients with DMD can be detected by ADC and FA values using DTI. DTI can be used to assess the severity of the disease.
authors: 1 Department of Radiology, The Eastern Hospital of First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Gui Dian
authors: GD
authors: Li
authors: 2 Department of Neurology, The Eastern Hospital of First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Ying Yin
authors: YY
authors: Liang
authors: 1 Department of Radiology, The Eastern Hospital of First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Ping
authors: P
authors: Xu
authors: 1 Department of Radiology, The Eastern Hospital of First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Ling
authors: 3 Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 2nd Zhongshan Rd, Guangzhou, Canton 510080, China.
authors: Ying Ming
authors: YM
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D016880:Anisotropy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology*; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000473:pathology*; D013848:Thigh
keywords: Duchenne muscular dystrophy; apparent diffusion coefficient; diffusion-tensor imaging; fractional anisotropy