RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy of diffusion tensor tracking (DTT) in study of the normal and abnormal cerebral white matter fiber. METHODS: Ten normal adult volunteers, 5 males and 5 females, aged 40.9 (24-65), and 28 patients with cranial tumors, 9 males and 19 females, aged 43.0 (11-77), underwent MR diffusion tensor. The data thus obtained were transferred to a personal computer and processed with dTV. RESULTS: The main cerebral white matter fiber pathways were successfully observed. Association fibers, including arcuate fibers, cingulum, superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, commissural fibers (corpus callosum), and projection fibers (corticospinal tract) were revealed. The arcuate fibers, cingulum, superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculus, corticospinal tract, external capsule, optic radiation, and corpus callosum were all involved by intracranial tumors. The abnormality of cerebral white matter could be classified into 4 groups: disruption + infiltration (7 cases), disruption + displacement (10 cases), infiltration + displacement (3 cases), and displacement (8 cases). CONCLUSION: DTT is useful for showing the main normal and abnormal cerebral white mater fiber tracts, thus opening a new field foe research of cerebral white matter fiber in vitro.