From images to insights: a neuroradiologist's practical guide on white matter fiber tract anatomy and DTI patterns for pre-surgical planning.

Autor: Freire IS; Department of Neuroradiology - Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Central (CHULC), Rua José António Serrano, 1150-199, Lisbon, Portugal. sfreire.ines@gmail.com.; NOVA Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. sfreire.ines@gmail.com., Lopes TS; Institute of Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), Coimbra, Portugal.; Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), Coimbra, Portugal., Afonso SG; Institute of Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), Coimbra, Portugal.; Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), Coimbra, Portugal., Pereira DJ; Institute of Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), Coimbra, Portugal.; Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), Coimbra, Portugal.; Functional Unit of Neuroradiology - Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra (CHUC), Coimbra, Portugal.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Neuroradiology [Neuroradiology] 2024 Aug; Vol. 66 (8), pp. 1251-1265. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Apr 18.
DOI: 10.1007/s00234-024-03362-7
Abstrakt: Introduction: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a valuable non-invasive imaging modality for mapping white matter tracts and assessing microstructural integrity, and can be used as a "biomarker" in diagnosis, differentiation, and therapeutic monitoring. Although it has gained clinical importance as a marker of neuropathology, limitations in its interpretation underscore the need for caution.
Methods: This review provides an overview of the principles and clinical applicability of DTI. We focus on major white matter fiber bundles, detailing their normal anatomy and pathological DTI patterns, with emphasis on tracts routinely requested in our neurosurgical department in the preoperative context (uncinate fasciculus, arcuate fasciculus, pyramidal pathway, optic radiation, and dentatorubrothalamic tract).
Results: We guide neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons in defining volumes of interest for mapping individual tracts and demonstrating their 3D reconstructions. The intricate trajectories of white matter tracts pose a challenge for accurate fiber orientation recording, with each bundle exhibiting specific characteristics. Tracts adjacent to brain lesions are categorized as displaced, edematous, infiltrated, or disrupted, illustrated with clinical cases of brain neoplasms. To improve structured reporting, we propose a checklist of topics for inclusion in imaging evaluations and MRI reports.
Conclusion: DTI is emerging as a powerful tool for assessing microstructural changes in brain disorders, despite some challenges in standardization and interpretation. This review serves an educational purpose by providing guidance for fiber monitoring and interpretation of pathological patterns observed in clinical cases, highlighting the importance and potential pitfalls of DTI in neuroradiology and surgical planning.
(© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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