Whole-brain changes in white matter microstructure after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a diffusion tensor imaging study.
Radiation-induced local white matter (WM) damage has been observed by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) within a priori-defined regions of interest following radiotherapy (RT) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In this study, we aimed to detect WM changes throughout the brain of NPC patients by DTI. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) was used to analyze DTI data from 81 NPC patients. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were quantified across the whole brain in separate groups: pre-RT, and <6, 6-12, and >12 months post-RT. We found that fractional anisotropy values were significantly lower in the right frontal, parietal, and occipital WM <6 months post-RT compared with pre-RT and remained significantly lower in the right frontal and parietal WM at >12 months. MD values were significantly higher in the right occipital, bilateral temporal, right occipital-temporal junction, left parietal, left centrum semiovale, and left frontal-parietal junction WM <6 months post-RT and remained higher in the right occipital WM at >12 months. This study suggests that changes in white matter microstructure following RT for NPC were widespread, complex, and dynamic. Diffusion tensor imaging with TBSS analysis allows for early non-invasive detection of RT-induced WM damage.
Department of MRI, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1, Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.|Department of Medical Imaging Center, The first affiliated hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 16# Jichang Road, Guangzhou, 510405, China.
Fuhong
F
Duan
Department of MRI, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1, Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
Jingliang
J
Cheng
Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, No. 585, Xingyuan North Road, Wuxi, 214041, China.
Jianwei
J
Jiang
Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, No. 585, Xingyuan North Road, Wuxi, 214041, China.
Jun
J
Chang
Department of MRI, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1, Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
Yong
Y
Zhang
Department of Medical Imaging Center, The first affiliated hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 16# Jichang Road, Guangzhou, 510405, China. qiushijun001@163.com.
Shijun
S
Qiu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016880:Anisotropy; D002277:Carcinoma; D015331:Cohort Studies; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D066127:White Matter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D055815:Young Adult
Diffusion tensor imaging; Nasopharyngeal carcinoma; Radiation-induced brain injury; Radiotherapy; Tract-based spatial statistics