MR Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Fiber Tracking in 5 Spinal Cord Astrocytomas

• Published in: American Journal of Neuroradiology Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 214 - 216
• Main Authors: Ducreux, D, Lepeintre, J.-F, Fillard, P, Loureiro, C, Tadie, M, Lasjaunias, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oak Brook, IL Am Soc Neuroradiology 01-01-2006; American Society of Neuroradiology
• Subjects: Adult; Astrocytoma - diagnosis; Bioengineering; Biological and medical sciences; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Life Sciences; Male; Medical sciences; Nerve Fibers - pathology; Nervous system; Nuclear medicine; Perception; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Spinal Cord - pathology; Spinal Cord Neoplasms - diagnosis; Spine; Vision; Spinal cord; Nervous system diseases; Diffusion tensor; Tracking; Glioma; Radiodiagnosis; Central nervous system disease; Central nervous system; Diffusion imaging; Tumor; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Astrocytoma
• ISSN: 0195-6108; 1936-959X; 1432-1920

Spinal cord astrocytomas are rare neoplasms that can result in alteration of the spinal cord structural integrity, which can be assessed by using diffusion tensor imaging methods. Our objective was to visualize the deformation of the posterior spinal cord lemniscal and corticospinal tracts in 5 patients with low-grade astrocytomas compared with 10 healthy volunteers by using 3D fiber-tracking reconstructions.