Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Eur Radiol. 2011 Mar;21(3):538-47. doi: 10.1007/s00330-010-1945-x. Epub 2010 Sep 12.
To investigate in preterm infants associations between Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) parameters of the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) and corpus callosum (CC) and age, white matter (WM) injury and clinical factors.
In 84 preterm infants DTI was performed between 40-62 weeks postmenstrual age on 3 T MR. Fractional anisotropy (FA), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and fibre lengths through the PLIC and the genu and splenium were determined. WM injury was categorised as normal/mildly, moderately and severely abnormal. Associations between DTI parameters and age, WM injury and clinical factors were analysed.
A positive association existed between FA and age at imaging for fibres through the PLIC (r = 0.48 p < 0.001) and splenium (r = 0.24 p < 0.01). A negative association existed between ADC and age at imaging for fibres through the PLIC (r = -0.65 p < 0.001), splenium (r = -0.35 p < 0.001) and genu (r = -0.53 p < 0.001). No association was found between DTI parameters and gestational age, degree of WM injury or categorical clinical factors.
These results indicate that in our cohort of very preterm infants, at this young age, the development of the PLIC and CC is ongoing and independent of the degree of prematurity or WM injury.
探讨早产儿弥散张量成像（DTI）后肢内囊（PLIC）和胼胝体（CC）参数与年龄、白质（WM）损伤和临床因素的关系。
在 84 例早产儿中，于胎龄 40-62 周行 3T MRI 弥散张量成像。测定PLIC 和 genu 及 splenium 通过的FA、表观扩散系数（ADC）值和纤维长度。WM 损伤分为正常/轻度、中度和重度异常。分析 DTI 参数与年龄、WM 损伤和临床因素之间的关系。
PLIC 和 splenium 通过纤维的 FA 与成像时的年龄呈正相关（r=0.48，p<0.001）和 splenium（r=0.24，p<0.01）。ADC 与 PLIC 纤维通过的年龄呈负相关（r=-0.65，p<0.001），splenium（r=-0.35，p<0.001）和 genu（r=-0.53，p<0.001）。DTI 参数与胎龄、WM 损伤程度或分类临床因素之间无相关性。
这些结果表明，在我们的极早产儿队列中，在这个年龄，PLIC 和 CC 的发育仍在继续，与早产程度或 WM 损伤无关。
