RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Diffusion Alterations in Corpus Callosum of Patients with HIV JF American Journal of Neuroradiology JO Am. J. Neuroradiol. FD American Society of Neuroradiology SP 656 OP 660 VO 27 IS 3 A1 Y. Wu A1 P. Storey A1 B.A. Cohen A1 L.G. Epstein A1 R.R. Edelman A1 A.B. Ragin YR 2006 UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/27/3/656.abstract AB BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Diffusion alterations have been identified in the corpus callosum and frontal white matter of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), though the relevance of these findings to cognitive deterioration has not yet been determined. This study tested the hypothesis that diffusion tensor imaging can detect tissue status alterations in these regions in cognitively impaired patients infected with HIV and the acquired measurements correlate with the severity of cognitive impairment.METHODS: Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were determined for corpus callosum (genu and splenium) and frontal white matter (FWM). The DTI measurements were compared in 11 HIV and 11 control participants. Patterns of relationship were examined with cognitive status measures from concurrent neurologic and neuropsychologic evaluations.RESULTS: FA values for the splenium were significantly reduced in the patients infected with HIV and correlated with dementia severity and deficits in motor speed. MD values for the splenium were significantly increased in the patients infected with HIV and correlated with deficits in motor speed. FA measurements were also significantly correlated with performance on visual memory (genu), visuoconstruction (FWM), and verbal memory (FWM) tasks.CONCLUSION: Diffusion abnormalities were identified in the splenium of the corpus callosum in patients infected with HIV, and these alterations were associated with dementia severity and motor speed losses. In vivo assessment of callosal integrity by using quantitative neuroimaging may have potential utility as a marker of brain injury in patients infected with HIV.