BACKGROUND: This investigation aimed to evaluate changes in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) of white matter injury (WMI) in preterm neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) using diffusion tension imaging (DTI).

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-eight neonates less than 37 weeks of gestation with leukoencephalopathy (as observation group) and 38 full-term infants with no leukoencephalopathy (as control group) were selected from the Neonatal Care Center in Taian Central Hospital from January 2012 to December 2013. A DTI scan was obtained within 1 week after birth.

RESULTS: In the observation group, on both sides the ADC values in regions of interest (ROI) of white matter, lesions were greater and FA values were lower than in the control group. ADC and FA values in genu and splenum of corpus callosum were statistically different between the mild and severe injury groups (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that DTI provides sensitive detection and early diagnosis of WMI in brains of premature infants with HIE.

Keywords: Brain Injuries - pathology, Anisotropy, Case-Control Studies, Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods, Diffusion Tensor Imaging - methods, Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain - pathology, Infant, Newborn, Infant, Premature, Leukoencephalopathies - pathology, White Matter - pathology