Quantitative evaluation of white matter development in fetus with growth restriction by diffusion tensor imaging

Abstract:

Objective To investigate whether fetal growth restriction (FGR) has an adverse effect on white matter development.Methods A total of 28 full-term small for gestational age (SGA) infants were enrolled as study subjects and 15 full-term appropriate for gestational age infants were enrolled as control group. Conventional head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were performed for all infants. The white matter was divided into 122 regions. The two groups were compared in terms of fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity of different brain regions.Results Compared with the control group, the SGA group had a significantly lower fractional anisotropy in 16 brain regions (P < 0.01), a significantly higher mean diffusivity in 7 brain regions (P < 0.05), a significantly higher axial diffusivity in 8 brain regions (P < 0.05), and a significantly higher radial diffusivity in 16 brain regions (P < 0.05).Conclusions FGR may cause abnormalities in the maturity and integrity of white matter fiber tracts.