Effect of normal aging on the structure of marginal division of neostriatum as measured by MR phase imaging and diffusion tensor imaging.
To investigate the structural changes of marginal division (MrD) which is the high intensity zone between globus pallidus and putamen on phase image in the human brain.



The structural changes of MrD were investigated based on MR phase imaging and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data at 3.0 Tesla (T) MR scanner in 72 volunteers. Phase value, including high iron components (HIC), low iron components (LIC), LIC ratio, and average iron components (AIC), were obtained using histogram analysis about the head of caudate nucleus (CA), globus pallidus (GP), putamen (PU), and MrD. The structural measurement of MrD was applied on corrected phase images (CPIs). Average apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and fractional anisotropy (FA) values were calculated based on DTI data.



MrD showed negative correlation for LIC with aging, with the highest HIC (left/right 2149.3 ± 19.6/2155.9 ± 17.9) and LIC (left/right 1996.6 ± 18.2/1999.6 ± 20.7), the lowest LIC ratio (left/right 21.5% ± 7.9%/19.4% ± 8.0%), and the highest AIC (left/right 2116.4 ± 21.4/2124.7 ± 21.0). The width (Head: left/right 2.01 ± 0.41 mm/1.86 ± 0.36 mm; Body: left/right 1.84 ± 0.38 mm/1.49 ± 0.29 mm; Tail: left/right 1.17 ± 0.36 mm/1.05 ± 0.23 mm) and area (left/right 49.44 ± 9.71 mm2/42.75 ± 8.80 mm2) of MrD showed negative correlation with aging, presenting gradually narrower pattern based on CPIs. Average ADC value (left/right 0.69 ± 0.04 10-3mm2/s / 0.71 ± 0.03 10-3mm2/s) revealed negative correlation, while FA value (left/right 0.19 ± 0.03/0.22 ± 0.03) revealed positive correlation with aging.



The findings suggested that the structure measurements based on CPIs and DTI could provide a simple and effective tool for the evaluation of MrD in vivo in the human brain and for the assessment of the changes seen with aging.



1 J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2017;45:1343-1351.
Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Zhiye
Z
Chen
Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Mengqi
M
Liu
Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Mengyu
M
Liu
Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Jinfeng
J
Li
Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Han
H
Shan
Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Shuangfeng
S
Liu
Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Xin
X
Lou
Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
Siyun
S
Shu
Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Lin
L
Ma
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011699:Putamen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055815:Young Adult
MRI; aging; diffusion tensor imaging; marginal division of neostriatum; phase image