Miao-Chi Lo1, Yi-Hsin Ko2, Pei-Fang Tang2,3, Wen-Yih Isaac Tseng1,4
1Center for Optoetectronic Biomedicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; 2School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Physical Therapy Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 4Department of Medical Imaging, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
We used diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) tractography to investigate whether the structural integrity of the corticospinal tract (CST) of the affected upper extremity can predict the motor outcome in patients with subcortical ischemic stroke. The entire CST of each subject was reconstructed and the mean generalized fractional anisotropy (GFA) values of the tract were analyzed. The tract-specific quantitative analysis of the relative GFA (rGFA) values of different segments of bilateral CSTs was derived to indicate the structural integrity of CST in various segments. The rGFA values in the IC segment of CST at D30 were highly correlated with the FMA-UE scores at D180 (N = 7, r = -.802, p = .030). In conclusion, the structural integrity of the affected CST early after stroke appears to have predictive value for late motor recovery.