Mapping white matter maturational processes and degrees on neonates by diffusion kurtosis imaging with multiparametric analysis

Abstract Objective Preterm infants are at high risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcome. Our aim is to explore the value of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in diagnosing brain developmental disorders in premature infants.Materials and Methods A total of 52 subjects were included in this study, including 26 premature infants as the preterm group, and 26 full-term infants as the control group. Routine magnetic resonance imaging and DKI examination were performed. Mean kurtosis (MK), radial kurtosis (RK), fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) values were measured in the brain regions including posterior limbs of the internal capsule (PLIC); anterior limb of internal capsule (ALIC); parietal white matter (PWM); frontal white matter (FWM); thalamus (TH); caudate nucleus (CN); genu of the corpus callosum (GCC). The X2, t test, Spearman’s correlation analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC)were used for data analyses.Results In the premature infant group, the MK and RK values of PLIA, ALIC, and PWM were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The FA values of PWM, FWM and TH were also lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). The AUCs of MK in PLIC and ALIC, MD in PWM, and FA in FWM were 0.813, 0.802, 0.842 and 0.867 (P<0.05). In thalamus and caudate nucleus, the correlations between MK, RK values and PMA were higher than those between FA, MD values and PMA.Conclusions DKI can be used as an effective tool in detecting brain developmental disorders in premature infants.

Download Full-text

White matter microstructural integrity across the adult lifespan: Combined perspective of diffusion tensor and kurtosis imaging

10.1101/2021.10.27.466088 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hiba Taha ◽

Jordan A Chad ◽

J. Jean Chen

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Brain Aging ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Diffusion Imaging ◽

General Pattern ◽

B Value ◽

Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging ◽

Adult Lifespan ◽

Non Gaussian ◽

Diffusion Kurtosis

Studies of healthy brain aging have reported diffusivity patterns associated with white matter degeneration using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), which assumes that diffusion measured at the typical b-value (approximately 1000 s/mm2) is Gaussian. Diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) is an extension of DTI that measures non-Gaussian diffusion (kurtosis) to better capture microenvironmental changes by incorporating additional data at a higher b-value. In this study, using UK Biobank data (b values of 1000 and 2000 s/mm2), we investigate (1) the extent of novel information gained from adding diffusional kurtosis to diffusivity observations in aging, and (2) how conventional DTI metrics in aging compare with diffusivity metrics derived from DKI, which are corrected for kurtosis. We find a general pattern of lower kurtosis alongside higher diffusivity among older adults. We also find differences between diffusivity metrics derived from DTI and DKI, emphasizing the importance of accounting for non-Gaussian diffusion. This work highlights the utility of measuring diffusional kurtosis as a simple addition to conventional diffusion imaging of aging.

Download Full-text