Application of diffusion tensor imaging in cerebral infarction with 3.0T MR scanner

Objective:To evaluate the value of diffusion tensor imaging(DTI) in the diagnosis of cerebral infarction with 3.0T MR scanner.Methods:Seventy-five patients with different stages of cerebral infarction underwent conventional MRI,diffusion weighted imaging(DWI),and DTI.The average diffusion coefficient(DCavg) images and part of the fractional anisotropy(FA) images were reconstructed.Using T2WI and DWI maps as references,the values of DCavg and mean FA in the infarct regions of various stages and contralateral normal brain regions were measured.Statistical analysis was performed.Results:Compared with the contralateral normal brain tissues,the values of DCavg decrease significantly in superacute and acute stages of cerebral infarction(P0.01).With the time of cerebral infarction prolonged,the DCavg values showed the tendency of gradual increasing.No consistent change was showed in the mean FA values of superacute stage as compared with the contralateral brain tissue(P0.05),they could be slightly increased or decreased,then showed a ten-dency of irreversible decreasing as the course of disease progressed.Conclusion:Values of DCavg in combination with FA could be helpful in assessing the stage of cerebral infarction more precisely as well as understanding the patho-physiological changes,and to provide the evidence of treatment guidance and prognosis judging.