Can diffusion tensor imaging unlock the secrets of the growth plate?
BJR Open
; 6(1): tzae005, 2024 Jan.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38558926
ABSTRACT
"How tall will I be?" Every paediatrician has been asked this during their career. The growth plate is the main site of longitudinal growth of the long bones. The chondrocytes in the growth plate have a columnar pattern detectable by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). DTI shows the diffusion of water in a tissue and whether it is iso- or anisotropic. By detecting direction and magnitude of diffusion, DTI gives information about the microstructure of the tissue. DTI metrics include tract volume, length, and number, fractional anisotropy (FA), and mean diffusivity. DTI metrics, particularly tract volume, provide quantitative data regarding skeletal growth and, in conjunction with the fractional anisotropy, be used to determine whether a growth plate is normal. Tractography is a visual display of the diffusion, depicting its direction and amplitude. Tractography gives a more qualitative visualization of cellular orientation in a tissue and reflects the activity in the growth plate. These two components of DTI can be used to assess the growth plate without ionizing radiation or pain. Further refinements in DTI will improve prediction of post-imaging growth and growth plate closure, and assessment of the positive and negative effect of treatments like cis-retinoic acid and growth hormone administration.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Idioma:
En
Revista:
BJR Open
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Suecia