David C. Carver1,2, Qing Ji1, John O. Glass1, Deqing Pei3, Wilburn E. Reddick1
1Translational Imaging Research, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA; 2Physics and Astronomy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA; 3Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
This project developed models of typical cortical thickness development in children to serve as a benchmark for direct comparison with cancer survivors. We analyzed 140 typical subjects (70 male, 70 female) ages 5-18 with FreeSurfer. Models were generated for each cortical region using a mixed-effects polynomial regression model testing for cubic, quadratic and linear age effects using a step-down selection procedure. Subjects showed steady rates of decrease in cortical thickness with age. The developed models can now be used to compare with survivors of childhood cancer. In addition, the longitudinal models will be made publicly available.