The role of MR-diffusion tensor imaging in the assessment of Alzheimer's disease

Objective: To evaluate the possible white matter damage and to define the location of the damage in Alzheimer's disease (AD) with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Methods: Twenty-four AD patients and twenty-one age-matched healthy volunteers received conventional and DTI scanning. The ADC and FA of white matter in temporal, parietal, frontal lobe and cingulum were measured respectively and the data underwent postprocessing. Results: FA value of the whiter matter in frontal, parietal, temporal and cingulum in AD patients was 0.37 ± 0.06, 0.32 ±0.05, 0.26 ± 0.03, and 0.47 ± 0.09, respectively, and ADC value was 9.50 e-10 ± 2.02 e-10, 10.55 e-10 ±1.43 e-10, 11.45 e-10 ±0.76 e-10, and 10.10 e-10 ±2.18 e-10, respectively; FA value of the same corresponding regions in control was 0.44 ± 0.06, 0.38 ± 0.05, 0.32 ± 0.05, and 0.56 ± 0.06, respectively, and ADC value was 8.75 e-10 ±1.63 e-10, 9.83 e-10 ±0.99 e-10, 11.13 e-10 ±0.78 e-10, and 8.28 e-10 ±1.65 e-10, respectively. FA value of the whiter matter in frontal, parietal, temporal, lobe and cingulum decreased (P=0.006) and ADC value increased in cingulum white matter (P=0.006) in AD patients. Conclusion: DTI could reveal the damage in white matter of frontal, temporal, parietal lobe and cingulum. It suggested that not only the gray matter is injuried, but also the white matter is abnormal in AD patients. (authors)