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Diffusion tensor imaging of normal and injured developing human brain - a technical review

  1. J. Neil1,2,*,
  2. J. Miller1,
  3. P. Mukherjee1,
  4. P. S. Hüppi3,4

Article first published online: 5 DEC 2002

DOI: 10.1002/nbm.784

Issue

NMR in Biomedicine

NMR in Biomedicine

Special Issue: Diffusion tensor imaging and axonal mapping - state of the art

Volume 15, Issue 7-8, pages 543–552, November - December 2002

Additional Information

How to Cite

Neil, J., Miller, J., Mukherjee, P. and Hüppi, P. S. (2002), Diffusion tensor imaging of normal and injured developing human brain - a technical review. NMR Biomed., 15: 543–552. doi: 10.1002/nbm.784

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid, St Louis, MO 63110, USA

  2. 2

    Division of Pediatric Neurology, St Louis Children's Hospital, One Children's Place, St Louis, MO 63110, USA

  3. 3

    Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, University Hospitals of Geneva, 6 rue Willy-Donze, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland

  4. 4

    Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA

*Department of Radiology, Washington University, School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid, St Louis, MO 63110, USA

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 5 DEC 2002
  2. Article first published online: 5 DEC 2002
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 5 SEP 2001
  4. Manuscript Revised: 22 AUG 2001
  5. Manuscript Received: 16 MAY 2001

Funded by

  • NIH. Grant Number: NS37357
  • Swiss National Foundation. Grant Number: 32-56927.99
  • Sigrist Foundation of the University of Berne

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Keywords:

  • diffusion;
  • brain;
  • anisotropy;
  • newborn;
  • development

Abstract

The application of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to the evaluation of developing brain remains an area of active investigation. This review focuses on the changes in DTI parameters which accompany both brain maturation and injury. The two primary pieces of information available from DTI studies—water apparent diffusion coefficient and diffusion anisotropy measures—change dramatically during development, reflecting underlying changes in tissue water content and cytoarchitecture. DTI parameters also change in response to brain injury. In this context, not only does DTI offer the possibility of detecting injury earlier than conventional imaging methods, but also appears more sensitive to disruption of white matter than any other imaging method. DTI offers unique insight into brain injury and maturation, and does so in a fashion that can be readily applied in a clinical setting. Copyright ­© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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