RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Multitensor Tractography Enables Better Depiction of Motor Pathways: Initial Clinical Experience Using Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging with Standard b-Value
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 1668
OP 1673
DO 10.3174/ajnr.A0640
VO 28
IS 9
A1 Yamada, K.
A1 Sakai, K.
A1 Hoogenraad, F.G.C.
A1 Holthuizen, R.
A1 Akazawa, K.
A1 Ito, H.
A1 Oouchi, H.
A1 Matsushima, S.
A1 Kubota, T.
A1 Sasajima, H.
A1 Mineura, K.
A1 Nishimura, T.
YR 2007
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/28/9/1668.abstract
AB BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this work was to test the feasibility of using high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI)-based multitensor tractography to depict motor pathways in patients with brain tumors.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten patients (6 males and 4 females) with a mean age of 52 years (range, 9–77 years) were scanned using a 1.5T clinical MR unit. Single-shot echo-planar imaging was used for diffusion-weighted imaging (repetition time, 6000 ms; excitation time, 88 ms) with a diffusion-sensitizing gradient in 32 orientations and a b-value of 1000 s/mm2. Data postprocessing was performed using both the conventional single- and multitensor methods. The depiction rate of the 5 major components of the motor pathways, that is, the lower extremity, trunk, hand, face, and tongue, was assessed.RESULTS: Motor fibers on both lesional and contralesional sides were successfully depicted by both the single-tensor and multitensor techniques. However, with the single-tensor model, the depiction of motor pathways was typically limited to the fibers of trunk areas. With the multitensor technique, at least 4 of 5 major fiber bundles arising from the primary motor cortex could be identified.CONCLUSION: HARDI-based multitensor tractography using a standard b-value (1000 s/mm2) can depict the fiber tracts from the face and tongue regions of the primary motor cortex.