Diffusion tensor MR study of optic nerve degeneration in glaucoma

Edward S. Hui, Qing Ling Fu, Kwok Fai So, Ed X. Wu

Research output: Chapter in book / Conference proceedingConference article published in proceeding or bookAcademic researchpeer-review

44 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Axonal degeneration has been known to occur in the optic nerve (ON) of rat glaucoma model. Recently, quantitative diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been developed to investigate various white matter diseases in vivo. In this study, longitudinal DTI was thus employed to study such animal model in the present study. The results showed that radial diffusivity (λ⊥) and fractional anisotropy (FA) of the glaucomatous ON (gON) was increasing and decreasing respectively with time after glaucoma induction, whereas there was no significant change in the axial diffusivity (λ //). Supported by the histological staining of the ON, such changes in the two DTI-derived parameters were attributed to the 10% decrease in the axonal density of the gON as compared to nON. It was shown for the first time that DTI can be sensitive enough to detect axonal degeneration in rat glaucoma model. DTI therefore holds promise for reliable diagnoses and assessment of the glaucoma disease in human upon careful interpretation of the DTI-derived directional diffusivities.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication29th Annual International Conference of IEEE-EMBS, Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC'07
Pages4312-4315
Number of pages4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2007
Externally publishedYes
Event29th Annual International Conference of IEEE-EMBS, Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC'07 - Lyon, France
Duration: 23 Aug 200726 Aug 2007

Publication series

NameAnnual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology - Proceedings
ISSN (Print)0589-1019

Conference

Conference29th Annual International Conference of IEEE-EMBS, Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC'07
Country/TerritoryFrance
CityLyon
Period23/08/0726/08/07

Keywords

  • Diffusivity
  • DTI
  • Glaucoma
  • Neurodegeneration

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Signal Processing
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
  • Health Informatics

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