Correlation between diffusion tensor tractography and proton MR spectroscopy in normal controls

Tractography is a procedure that can track and demonstrate the 3D neural tracts of the white matter of the brain. The images of the brain are obtained by analyzing the diffusion tensor, identification of which can provide the anatomical connections of the brain. Studying these connections is integral to the understanding of the brain function. Specifically, the uncinate fasciculus and fornix, which are the white matter in the human brain, are said to be related to cognitive function. The tractography is calculated using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameter. Studies have shown that the DTI parameter of dementia patients is lower than that of healthy individuals. It is also suggested that the DTI parameter of healthy individuals decreases with age. In addition, Proton MR Spectroscopy (¹H-MRS) is indicative of neuronal damage and has been used for decades as a noninvasive technique for assessing the biochemistry of the human brain. This is reflected by the increasing number of clinical MRS investigations of neurological disorders. Thus, MRS and DTI can provide complementary images on white matter in brain and it is important to investigate the white matter brain changes by simultaneously acquiring DTI and MRS in health control subjects. In this research, we have calculated the correlation coefficient between the DTI parameter of uncinate fasciculus, fornix and ¹H-MRS. Our result shows that the correlation coefficient of DTI parameter and ¹H-MRS of a left fornix is 0.65 at the maximum. Correlation between DTI measurement and ¹H-MRS suggests the relationships between the uncinate fasciculus, fornix and cognitive neuronal function. Our finding matches previous reports on the correlation between DTI parameters and ¹H-MRS.