Advanced neuroimaging to quantify myelin in vivo: Application to mild TBI.
Difficulty providing accurate diagnosis and prognosis, especially after mild forms of traumatic brain injury (TBI), has increased efforts to detect changes in white matter microstructure using advanced neuroimaging techniques. Although methods such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) have greatly increased knowledge of white matter changes resulting from TBI, several shortcomings limit the utility of these techniques particularly when applied to populations with mild TBI (mTBI) history. In vivo imaging of myelin may be particularly well suited to detect changes in white matter microstructure resulting from mTBI.



This manuscript will briefly review the animal and histological data supporting the important role of myelin following TBI, contributions and shortcomings of the use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in mild TBI and the utility of multi-component relaxometry (MCR) techniques as a method for improved visualizing of white matter microstructural integrity in myelin.



The use of MCR-based techniques has potential as a clinical and research tool to assess and track changes in myelin as well as the common behavioural changes such as slowed processing speed following TBI.
a San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology , San Diego , CA , USA.|b Veterans Medical Research Foundation , San Diego , CA , USA.
S M
SM
Jurick
c Department of Psychiatry , University of California San Diego , San Diego , CA , USA.|d Research Service.
K J
KJ
Bangen
b Veterans Medical Research Foundation , San Diego , CA , USA.|d Research Service.
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ND
Evangelista
d Research Service.
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M
Sanderson-Cimino
b Veterans Medical Research Foundation , San Diego , CA , USA.|c Department of Psychiatry , University of California San Diego , San Diego , CA , USA.|d Research Service.|e Psychology Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System , San Diego , CA , USA.
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Delano-Wood
b Veterans Medical Research Foundation , San Diego , CA , USA.|c Department of Psychiatry , University of California San Diego , San Diego , CA , USA.|d Research Service.|e Psychology Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System , San Diego , CA , USA.
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Jak
D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000473:pathology*; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods*
Concussion; DTI; mcDESPOT