Abstract #4214

Developmental Differences in Deep Gray Matter Nuclei Tissue Integrity & Neuropsychological Performance in Healthy Children & Patients Treated with Brain Radiation

Anna Nidecker¹, Jarunee Intrapiromkul¹, Firouzeh Tannazi¹, Todd McNutt², Siamak Ardekani³, Rebecca Martin⁴, Moody D. Wharam², Ernest Mark Mahone^4,5, Alena Horska¹

¹Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology & Radiological Science, the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States; ²Radiation Oncology & Molecular Radiation Sciences, the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States; ³Institute for Computational Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; ⁴Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States; ⁵Department of Psychiatry & Behavior Sciences, the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States

Whole brain radiation therapy has improved survival among children with brain malignancies but can generate an array of adverse effects. Diffusion tensor imaging of 9 pediatric patients receiving whole brain radiation and 9 age-matched controls over a period of 27 months demonstrated significantly higher ADC values in deep gray matter among patients at all time points, although they scored better on neuropsychological testing. The difference in diffusivity was apparent before the start of radiation, suggesting that RT is not completely responsible for the abnormalities observed, and that these changes are observed on DTI before they may become clinically apparent.