Prediction of motor outcomes and activities of daily living function using diffusion tensor tractography in acute hemiparetic stroke patients

[Purpose] The efficacy of diffusion tensor imaging in the prediction of motor outcomesand activities of daily living function remains unclear. We evaluated the most appropriatediffusion tensor parameters and methodology to determine whether the region of interest-or tractography-based method was more useful for predicting motor outcomes and activitiesof daily living function in stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Diffusion tensorimaging data within 10 days after stroke onset were collected and analyzed for 25patients. The corticospinal tract was analyzed. Fractional anisotropy, number of fibers,and apparent diffusion coefficient were used as diffusion tensor parameters. Motoroutcomes and activities of daily living function were evaluated on the same day asdiffusion tensor imaging and at 1 month post-onset. [Results] The fractional anisotropyvalue of the affected corticospinal tract significantly correlated with the motor outcomeand activities of daily living function within 10 days post-onset and at 1 monthpost-onset. Tthere were no significant correlations between other diffusion tensorparameters and motor outcomes or activities of daily living function. [Conclusion] Thefractional anisotropy value of the affected corticospinal tract obtained using thetractography-based method was useful for predicting motor outcomes and activities of dailyliving function in stroke patients.Key words: Stroke, Diffusion tensor tractography, Activities of daily living function