Article

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate subacute progression of white matter (WM) injury
(4.5mo-2.5y postinjury) in patients with traumatic brain injury using
diffusion-tensor imaging. DESIGN: Prospective, repeated-measures, within-subjects
design. SETTING: Inpatient neurorehabilitation program and teaching hospital MRI
department. PARTICIPANTS: Brain-injured adults (N=13) with a mean Glasgow Coma
Scale score of 7.67+/-4.16. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Fractional anisotropy (FA) values were measured at 4.5 and 29 months postinjury
in right and left frontal and temporal deep WM tracts and the anterior and
posterior corpus callosum. RESULTS: FA significantly decreased in frontal and
temporal tracts: right frontal (.38+/-.06 to .30+/-.06; P<.005), left frontal
(.37+/-.06 to .32+/-.06; P<.05), right temporal (.28+/-.05 to .22+/-.018;
P<.005), and left temporal (.28+/-.05 to .24+/-.02; P<.05). No significant
changes were in the corpus callosum. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary results demonstrate
progression of WM damage as evidenced by interval changes in diffusion
anisotropy. Future research should examine the relationship between decreased FA
and long-term clinical outcome.

Langue : ANGLAIS