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AJNR - American Journal of Neuroradiology

Published ahead of print on September 20, 2007
doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A0640

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American Journal of Neuroradiology 28:1668-1673, October 2007
© 2007 American Society of Neuroradiology

BRAIN

Multitensor Tractography Enables Better Depiction of Motor Pathways: Initial Clinical Experience Using Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging with Standard b-Value

K. Yamada^a, K. Sakai^c, F.G.C. Hoogenraad^d, R. Holthuizen^d, K. Akazawa^a, H. Ito^a, H. Oouchi^a, S. Matsushima^a, T. Kubota^a, H. Sasajima^b, K. Mineura^b and T. Nishimura^a

^a Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto City, Kyoto, Japan
^b Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto City, Kyoto, Japan
^c Center for Promotion of Excellence in Higher Education, Kyoto University, Kyoto City, Kyoto, Japan
^d MR Clinical Science, Neuro, Philips Medical Systems, Best, the Netherlands

Please address correspondence to Kei Yamada, Department of Radiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kajii-cyo, Kawaramachi Hirokoji Agaru, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan; e-mail: kyamada{at}koto.kpu-m.ac.jp

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.

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				A. Yamamoto and Y. Miki Reply: AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., March 1, 2008; 29(3): e5 - e5. [Full Text] [PDF]