Diffusion tensor imaging of the corticospinal tract before and after mass resection as correlated with clinical motor findings: preliminary data.

Background And Purpose: The role of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in neurosurgical planning and follow-up is currently being defined and needs clinical validation. To that end, we sought correlations between preoperative and postoperative DTI and clinical motor deficits in patients with space-occupying lesions involving the corticospinal tract (CST).

Methods: DTI findings in four patients with masses near the CST and not involving motor cortex were retrospectively reviewed and compared with contralateral motor strength.

Diffusion tensor imaging in an infant with traumatic brain swelling.

We present the case of a 14-month-old male infant who underwent diffusion tensor imaging within 24 hours of traumatic brain injury. Although conventional MR findings that included those of diffusion-weighted imaging were unremarkable, full-tensor diffusion imaging revealed striking abnormalities in regions of brain that subsequently developed overt swelling. This case engenders important hypotheses regarding mechanisms of traumatic brain swelling and anisotropic diffusion of water in pathologic tissues.