Evidence of Microstructural Abnormality on Descending Motor Pathway in Cerebral Plasied Children with Periventricular Leukomalacia: Diffusion Tensor MRI Study.

, Lee, Zee Ihn; , Park, Sung Min; , Ahn, Sang Ho; , Jang, Sung Ho; , Son, Su Min; , Byun, Woo Mok

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine 2003;27(3):340-343.

Lee, Zee Ihn , Park, Sung Min , Ahn, Sang Ho , Jang, Sung Ho , Son, Su Min , Byun, Woo Mok

¹Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Daegu Catholic University College of Medicine, Korea.
²Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Korea. smseven@hanmail.net
³Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Korea.

뇌성마비 환아에게 시행된 확산텐서 자기공명영상의 의의

이지인, 박승민¹, 안상호¹, 장성호¹, 손수민¹, 변우목²

대구가톨릭대학교 의과대학 재활의학교실, 영남대학교 의과대학 ¹재활의학교실, ²진단방사선학교실

Abstract

Objective
Using diffusion tensor MRI (DTI), to investigate the microstructural abnormality of corticospinal tract in the cerebral palsied children with periventricular leukomalacia on conventional MRI and to recognize the clinical usefulness of DTI.

Method
Seven patients were studied. DTI was peformed using 1.5T MR scanner (Vision Plus, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) and fractional anisotropies of corona radiata, posterior limbs of internal capsules, and cerebral peduncles of midbrain in both hemisphere were calculated.

Results
The fractional anisotropy was significantly decreased in all corona radiata, posterior limbs of internal capsules, cerebral peduncles of midbrain in six patients except one hemiplegic patient, compared with that of control group. In in the hemiplegic patient, the fractional anisotropy was reduced only in affected hemisphere. In addition, the fractional anisotropy tended to be also increased as gross motor function measure (GMFM) score was increased.

Conclusion
We believe that DTI may be efficient in evaluating microstructural abnormality on the motor pathway of brain and helpful in providing prognosis of clinical findings in cerebral palsied children with periventricular leukomalacia. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2003; 27: 340-343)

Key Words: Periventricular leukomalacia, Cerebral palsy, Diffusion tensor MRI, Microstructural abnormalities