Study of diffusion tensor imaging on different segments of hippocampi in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy

Objective To investigate the diffusion characteristics of different segments of hippocampi in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy(TLE) and evaluate the role of diffusion tensor imaging in localization of the seizure focus in TLE.Methods Forty-two interictal patients of TLE and 32 healthy volunteers received conventional and DTI scanning.The DCavg,FA,1-VR and RA of different segments of bilateral hippocampi were measured respectively.Results No significant differences of DCavg,FA,1-VR and RA were noted among different segments of hippocampi in the controls.In the ipsilateral hippocampi,DCavg significantly increased in the head,compared with the value in the tail,but no significant differences were found in FA,1-VR and RA.In the contralateral hippocampi,DCavg significantly increased in the head and body,compared with the value in the tail,but no significant differences were found in FA,1-VR and RA.Conclusion DTI parameters were different from the head to tail in hippocampi of TLE patients and change of DCavg of the head were more obvious than the tail.