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AJNR - American Journal of Neuroradiology

Publication Preview: Published September 20, 2007

American Journal of Neuroradiology 2007;28:1668.

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American Journal of Neuroradiology
DOI 10.3174/ajnr.A0640

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

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

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

From the Departments of Radiology (K.Y., K.A., H.I., H.O., S.M., T.K., T.N.) and Neurosurgery (H.S., K.M.), Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto City, Kyoto, Japan; Center for Promotion of Excellence in Higher Education (K.S.), Kyoto University, Kyoto City, Kyoto, Japan; MR Clinical Science (F.G.C.H., R.H.), 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]