Atlas-based quantification of dti measures in a typically developing pediatric spinal cord

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Multi-parametric MRI, provides a variety of biomarkers sensitive to white matter integrity, However, spinal cord MRI data in pediatrics is rare compared to adults. The purpose of this work was 3-fold: 1) to develop a processing pipeline for atlasbased generation of the typically developing pediatric spinal cord WM tracts, 2) to derive atlas-based normative values of the DTI indices for various WM pathways, and 3) to investigate age-related changes in the obtained normative DTI indices along the extracted tracts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DTI scans of 30 typically developing subjects (age range, 6-16 years) were acquired on a 3T MR imaging scanner. The data were registered to the PAM50 template in the Spinal Cord Toolbox. Next, the DTI indices for various WM regions were extracted at a single section centered at the C3 vertebral body in all the 30 subjects. Finally, an ANOVA test was performed to examine the effects of the following: 1) laterality, 2) functionality, and 3) age, with DTI-derived indices in 34 extracted WM regions. RESULTS: A postprocessing pipeline was developed and validated to delineate pediatric spinal cord WM tracts. The results of ANOVA on fractional anisotropy values showed no effect for laterality (P=.72) but an effect for functionality (P< .001) when comparing the 30 primary WM labels. There was a significant (P