Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-dnltx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T05:21:40.827Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

DT-MRI of Central Nervous System: Clinical Applications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2014

Abstract

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) represents a relatively novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique in which image contrast is related to differences in translational motion of water molecules within the tissue, rather than to differences in total water content. The rate of water motion is characterized by the apparent diffusion coefficient. In addition, full tensor DWI (diffusion tensor imaging, DT-MRI) samples the full diffusion tensor and therefore allows estimation of isotropic and anisotropic diffusion. The degree of anisotropic diffusion is thought to be determined by the local tissue characteristics or tissue architecture and can be quantified by DT-MRI. DWI has proven its clinical effectiveness in the early detection of acute cerebral ischemia. Multiple reports have discussed the value of DWI in a wide variety of other diseases of the central nervous system. DT-MRI appears to be especially promising in the evaluation of diseases that affect the integrity of white matter, in particular of white matter tracts. Herein, the current applications of DWI in clinical neurology are reviewed, with special attention to applications of DT-MRI.

Type
Feature Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2002

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.Schaefer, PW. Applications of DWI in clinical neurology. J Neurol Sci. 2001;186(suppl):S25S35.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Sorensen, AG, Buonanno, FS, Gonzales, RG, et al.Hyperacute stroke: evaluation with combined multisection diffusion-weighted and hemodynamically weighted echo-planar imaging. Radiology. 1996;2:391401.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3.Ebisu, T, Tanaka, C, Umeda, M, et al.Discrimination of brain abscess from necrotic or cystic tumors by diffusion-weighted echo planar imaging. Magn Reson Imaging. 1996;14:11131116.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Tsuruda, JS, Chew, WM, Moseley, ME, Norman, D. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging of the brain: value of differentiating between extraaxial cysts and epidermoid tumors. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1990;11:925931.Google ScholarPubMed
5.Castillo, M, Smith, J, Kwock, L, Wilber, K. Apparent diffusion coefficients in the evaluation of high-grade cerebral gliomas. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2001;22:6064.Google ScholarPubMed
6.Ciccarelli, O, Werring, DJ, Wheeler-Kingshott, CAM, Barker, GJ, et al.Investigation of MS normal-appearing brain by using diffusion tensor MRI with clinical correlations. Neurology. 2001;56:926933.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7LeBihan, D, Breton, E, Lallem, D, et al.MR imaging of intravoxel incoherent motions: application to diffusion and perfusion in neurologic disorders. Radiology. 1986;161:401407.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.LeBihan, D, Mangin, JF, Poupon, C, et al.Diffusion tensor imaging: concepts and applications. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2001;13:534546.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9.Pierpaoli, C, Jezzard, P, Basser, PJ, Barnett, A, Di Chiro, G. Diffusion tensor MR imaging of the human brain. Radiology. 1996;201:637648.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Provenzale, JM, Sorensen, AG. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging in acute stroke: theoretic considerations and clinical applications. Am J Roentgenol. 1999;173:14591467.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Sorensen, AG, Wu, O, Copen, WA, et al.Human acute cerebral ischemia: detection of changes in water diffusion anisotropy by using MR imaging. Radiology. 1999;212:785792.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Yang, Q, Tress, BM, Barber, A, et al.Serial study of apparent diffusion coefficient and anisotropy in patients with acute stroke. Stroke. 1999;30:23822390.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13.Mukherjee, P, Bahn, MM, McKinstry, RC, et al.Differences between gray matter and white matter water diffusion in stroke: diffusion-tensor. MR imaging in 12 patients. Radiology. 2000;215:211220.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Arboix, A, Marti-Vilalta, JL. Lacunar syndromes not due to lacunar infarcts. Cerebrovasc Dis. 1992;2:287292.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15.Schonewille, WJ, Tuhrim, S, Singer, MB, Atlas, SW. Diffusion-weighted MRI in acute lacunar syndromes. A clinical-radiological study. Stroke. 1999;30:20662069.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.Jones, DK, Lythgoe, D, Mark, A, et al.Characterization of white matter damage in ischemic leukoaraiosis with diffusion tensor MRI. Stroke. 1999;30:393397.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.Yamada, I, Himeno, Y, Nagaoka, T, et al.Moyamoya disease: evaluation with diffusion-weighted and perfusion echo-planar MR imaging. Radiology. 1999;212:340347.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18.Chabriat, H, Pappata, S, Poupon, C, et al.Clinical severity in CADASIL related to ultrastructural damage in white matter. In vivo study with diffusion tensor MRI. Stroke. 1999;30:26372643.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19.Katz, D, Taubenberger, JK, Cannella, B, McFarlin, DE, Raine, CS, McFarland, HF. Correlation between magnetic resonance imaging findings and lesion development in chronic, active multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol. 1993;34:661669.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Werring, DJ, Clark, CA, Barker, GJ, Thompson, AJ, Miller, DH. Diffusion tensor imaging of lesions and normal-appearing white matter in multiple sclerosis. Neurology. 1999;52:16261632.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21.Allen, IV, McKeown, SR. A histological, histochemical and biochemical study of the macroscopically normal white matter in multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Sci. 1979;41:8191.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22.Filippi, M, Iannuci, G, Cercignani, M, Rocca, MA, Pratesi, A, Comi, G. A quantitative study of water diffusion in multiple sclerosis lesions and normal-appearing white matter using echo-planar imaging. Arch Neurol. 2000;57:10171021.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23.Bammer, R, Augustin, M, Strasser-Fuchs, S, et al.Magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging for characterizing diffuse and focal white matter abnormalities in multiple sclerosis. Mag Reson Med. 2000;44:583591.3.0.CO;2-O>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24.Iwasawa, T, Matoba, H, Ogi, A, et al.Diffusion-weighted imaging of the human optic nerve: a new approach to evaluate optic neuritis in multiple sclerosis. Magn Reson Med. 1997;38:484491.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25.Itor, R, Melhem, ER, Mori, S, Eichler, FS, Raymond, GV, Moser, HW. Diffusion tensor brain MR imaging in X-linked cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy. Neurology. 2001;56:544547.Google Scholar
26.Schaumburg, HH, Powers, JM, Raine, CS, Suzuki, K, Richardson, EP. Adrenoleukodystrophy: a clinical and pathological study of 17 cases. Arch Neurol. 1975;32:577591.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27.Braffman, BH, Trojanowski, JQ, Atlas, SW. The aging brain and neurodegenerative disorders. In: Atlas, SW, ed. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain and Spine. New York, NY: Raven Press; 1991:567624.Google Scholar
28.Hanyu, H, Sakurai, H, Iwamoto, T, Takasaki, M, Shindo, H, Abe, K. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging of the hippocampus and temporal white matter in Alzheimer's disease. J Neurol Sci. 1998;156:195200.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29.Ellis, CM, Simmons, A, Jones, DK, et al.Diffusion tensor MRI assesses corticospinal tract damage in ALS. Neurology. 1999;53:10511058.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30.Pomara, N, Crandall, DT, Choi, SJ, Johnson, G, Lim, KO. White matter abnormalities in HIV-1 infection: a diffuse tensor imaging study. Psychiatry Res. 2001;28:1524.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
31.Filippi, CG, Ulug, AM, Ryan, E, Ferrando, SJ, Van Gorp, W. Diffusion tensor imaging of patients with HIV and normal-appearing white matter on MR images of the brain. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2001;22:277283.Google ScholarPubMed
32.Tien, RD, Felsberg, GJ, Friedman, H, Brown, M, MacFall, J. MR imaging of high-grade cerebral gliomas: value of diffusion-weighted echoplanar pulse sequences. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1994;162:671677.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
33.Brunberg, JA, Chenevert, TL, McKeever, PE, et al.In vivo MR determination of water diffusion coefficients and diffusion anisotropy: correlation with structural alteration in gliomas of the cerebral hemispheres. Am J Neuroradiol. 1995;16:361371.Google ScholarPubMed
34.Gupta, RK, Sinha, U, Cloughesy, TF, Alger, JR. Inverse correlation between choline magnetic resonance spectroscopy signal intensity and the apparent diffusion coefficient in human glioma. Magn Reson Med. 1999;41:27.3.0.CO;2-Y>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35.Gauvain, KM, McKinstry, RC, Mukherjee, P, et al.Evaluating pediatric brain tumor cellularity with diffusion-tensor imaging. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2001;177:449454.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
36.Aronen, HJ, Gazit, IE, Louis, DN, et al.Cerebral blood volume maps of gliomas: comparison with tumor grade and histologic findings. Radiology. 1994;191:4151.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
37.Henry, RG, Vigneron, DB, Fischbein, NJ, et al.Comparison of relative cerebral blood volume and proton spectroscopy in patients with treated gliomas. Am J Neuroradiol. 2000;21:357366.Google ScholarPubMed
38.Chen, S, Ikawa, F, Kurisu, K, Arita, K, Takaba, J, Kanou, Y. Quantitative MR evaluation of intracranial epidermoid tumors by fast-attenuated inversion recovery imaging and echo-planar diffusion-weighted imaging. Am J Neuroradiol. 2000;22:10891096.Google Scholar
39.Chu, K, Kang, DW, Kim, JY, Chang, KH, Lee, SK. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in nonconvulsive status epilepticus. Arch Neurol. 2001;58:993998.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
40.Buchsbaum, M, Tang, CY, Peled, S, et al.MRI white matter diffusion anisotropy and PET metabolic rate in schizophrenia. Neuroreport. 1998;9:425430.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
41.Maier, JF, Clark, CA, Barker, GJ, Miller, DH, Ron, MA. Neuropathological abnormalities of the corpus callosum in schizophrenia: a diffusion tensor imaging study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2000;68:242244.Google Scholar
42.Quencer, RM. Diffusion-weighted imaging of the spinal cord: is there a future? Am J Neuroradiol. 2000;21:11811182.Google ScholarPubMed
43.Robertson, RL, Maier, SE, Mulkem, RV, Vajapayam, S, Robson, CD, Barnes, PD. MR line-scan diffusion imaging of the spinal cord in children. Am J Neuroradiol. 2000;21:13441348.Google ScholarPubMed
44.Ries, M, Jones, RA, Dousset, V, Moonen, CTW. Diffusion tensor MRI of the spinal cord. Magn Reson Med. 2000;44:884892.3.0.CO;2-Q>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed