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Intra- and interhemispheric variations of diffusivity in subcortical white matter in normal human brain

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Abstract

Our purpose was to reveal potential regional variations in water molecular diffusivity within each cerebral hemisphere and across the right and left hemispheres. Diffusion-weighted images of 44 healthy right-handed adult male subjects were obtained using a diffusion tensor imaging sequence. Mean diffusivity (MD) values in subcortical white matter (WM) within 39 regions in each hemisphere were measured using an automated method. Intrahemispheric comparisons of MDs in subcortical WM were performed among six brain regions (frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobes and pre- and postcentral gyri). Interhemispheric comparisons of MDs were performed between the right and left counterparts of the 39 regions. In both hemispheres, diffusivity in the precentral gyrus was lower than those in other regions, while diffusivity in the parietal lobe was higher than others. MD asymmetry in which the left was lower than the right was found in the parietal lobe, middle occipital gyrus, and medial and orbital aspects of the frontal lobe. The converse asymmetry was revealed in the frontal operculum, supplementary motor cortex, temporal lobe, limbic cortices, precuneus and cuneus. Our results revealed significant intra- and interhemispheric regional variations in MD in subcortical WM, which may be related to different densities of axons and myelin sheaths.

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Acknowledgement

This study was supported in part by a Grant-in-aid from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (no. 1859351).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan

    Takashi Yoshiura, Tomoyuki Noguchi, Akio Hiwatashi, Osamu Togao, Koji Yamashita, Eiki Nagao, Hironori Kamano & Hiroshi Honda

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  1. Takashi Yoshiura
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  2. Tomoyuki Noguchi
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  3. Akio Hiwatashi
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  4. Osamu Togao
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  5. Koji Yamashita
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  7. Hironori Kamano
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  8. Hiroshi Honda
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Correspondence to Takashi Yoshiura.

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Yoshiura, T., Noguchi, T., Hiwatashi, A. et al. Intra- and interhemispheric variations of diffusivity in subcortical white matter in normal human brain. Eur Radiol 20, 227–233 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1534-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1534-z

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