Can diffusion tensor imaging predict motor power affection after moderate traumatic brain injury?

ObjectiveTo determine whether commissural and projection fibers fractional anisotropy (FA) abnormalities can help in the prediction of long-term outcome of motor power affection after moderately severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).MethodsMRI protocol included diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and was performed for 32 patients with moderate TBI and 32 matched control subjects. Regions of interests were applied in the FA maps in the corpus callosum, internal capsules posterior limb, and cerebral peduncles. Results were compared in patients with motor power affection and patients without motor power affection to the control group.ResultsAll patients had FA values lower than the control group with significance differences in the corpus callosum. Patient group with weakness had FA values lower than the control groups with significance differences in the posterior limb of the left internal capsules (p = 0.001) and left cerebral peduncles (p < 0.001). Significant differences were found when comparing the posterior limb of the left internal capsule (p = 0.002) and left cerebral peduncle (p = 0.022) to the right side in the weakness group.ConclusionFA values measured in the acute stage provided information about associated and projectional fibers disruptions, which have a prognostic value about motor power affection.