[Diffusion tensor imaging analyses of white matter at an early stage of first-episode schizophrenia].

Objective: To explore the roles of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of white matter at an early stage of schizophrenia.

Methods: The participants were 20 first-episode, medication-naïve schizophrenics at an early stage (1 - 6 months) and 20 healthy controls adjusted in gender and age during December 2009 and October 2010. They underwent diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging with a single-shot echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence aligned to straight axial plane.