Yonsei Med J.  2010 Jul;51(4):590-593. 10.3349/ymj.2010.51.4.590.

Diffusion Tensor Imaging of Heterotopia: Changes of Fractional Anisotropy during Radial Migration of Neurons

• Lee SK
• Kim J

• KMID: 1805200
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2010.51.4.590

Abstract

PURPOSE
Diffusion tensor imaging provides better understanding of pathophysiology of congenital anomalies, involving central nervous system. This study was aimed to specify the pathogenetic mechanism of heterotopia, proved by diffusion tensor imaging, and establish new findings of heterotopia on fractional anisotropy maps.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Diffusion-weighted imaging data from 11 patients (M : F = 7 : 4, aged from 1 to 22 years, mean = 12.3 years) who visited the epilepsy clinic and received a routine seizure protocol MRI exam were retrospectively analyzed. Fractional anisotropy (FA) maps were generated from diffusion tensor imaging of 11 patients with heterotopia. Regions of interests (ROI) were placed in cerebral cortex, heterotopic gray matter and deep gray matter, including putamen. ANOVA analysis was performed for comparison of different gray matter tissues.
RESULTS
Heterotopic gray matter showed signal intensities similar to normal gray matter on T1 and T2 weighted MRI. The measured FA of heterotopic gray matter was higher than that of cortical gray matter (0.236 +/- 0.011 vs. 0.169 +/- 0.015, p < 0.01, one way ANOVA), and slightly lower than that of deep gray matter (0.236 +/- 0.011 vs. 0.259 +/- 0.016, p < 0.01).
CONCLUSION
Increased FA of heterotopic gray matter suggests arrested neuron during radial migration and provides better understanding of neurodevelopment.

Keyword

Heterotopia; congenital malformation; magnetic resonance imaging

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Twenty two year old male with intractable epilepsy. Note linear band of gray matter tissue with similar signal intensity as cortex and high FA values (double arrows). On PET scan, this heterotopic gray matter also shows high glucose metabolism than white matter (double arrows). FA, fractional anisotropy.

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  Fig. 2 Fractional anisotropy (FA) of gray matter tissues. Deep gray matter (DGM) is higher than heterotopic gray matter (HGM) and cortical gray matter (CGM). Note FA of HGM is also significantly higher than CGM.

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