Abstract
White matter microstructural changes can be detected with diffusion tensor imaging. It was hypothesized that diffusion parameters in the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) and corpus callosum (CC) bundles in preterm infants at term equivalent age (TEA) were associated with neurodevelopment at 2 y corrected age. In 67 preterm infants, fiber tracking was performed at TEA for the CC and both PLIC bundles. Volume, length, fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity were determined for the three bundles. These parameters were assessed in relation to outcome on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development III. In girls, volume and length of the CC bundle and right PLIC bundle volume were associated with cognition. In boys, volume, FA, mean and radial diffusivity, and length of the left PLIC were associated with fine motor scores. Correction for GA, birth weight, intraventricular hemorrhage, white matter injury, and maternal education did not change the results. Fiber tracking parameters in the PLIC and CC bundles in preterm infants at TEA revealed different associations with neurodevelopment between boys and girls. This study suggested that fiber tracking is a useful method to predict neurodevelopment in preterm infants.
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Abbreviations
- AD:
-
axial diffusivity
- ADC:
-
apparent diffusion coefficient
- BSITD-III:
-
Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development; Third Edition
- BW:
-
birth weight
- CC:
-
corpus callosum
- Cl:
-
“case linear” anisotropy index
- DTI:
-
diffusion tensor imaging
- FA:
-
fractional anisotropy
- IVH:
-
intraventricular hemorrhages
- MD:
-
mean diffusivity
- PLIC:
-
posterior limb of the internal capsule
- RD:
-
radial diffusivity
- ROI:
-
region of interest
- TE:
-
echo time
- TEA:
-
term equivalent age
- TR:
-
repetition time
- WM:
-
white matter.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Dr. Cuno S.P.M. Uiterwaal for his support in the statistical analysis; the families who took part in the study; Niels Blanken and the other MR technicians of the MR institute for their expert and enthusiastic help; and our colleagues of the NICU and Medium care of the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Supported by The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development, project 94527022.
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
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van Kooij, B., van Pul, C., Benders, M. et al. Fiber Tracking at Term Displays Gender Differences Regarding Cognitive and Motor Outcome at 2 Years of Age in Preterm Infants. Pediatr Res 70, 626–632 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1203/PDR.0b013e318232a963
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/PDR.0b013e318232a963
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