Abstract #4100

Axon development revealed by directional diffusivities in intra-axonal and extra-axonal compartments

Xianjun Li^1,2, Miaomiao Wang¹, Heng Liu^1,2, Jie Gao¹, Xiaocheng Wei³, and Jian Yang¹

¹Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China, ²Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China, ³MR Research China, GE Healthcare, Bei Jing, People's Republic of China

White matter in human brain undergoes a complex and long lasting process. It is not likely that conventional diffusion parameters are specific enough to distinguish axon-related and myelin-related processes. This study investigates directional diffusivities in intra-axonal and extra-axonal compartments on preterm neonates, term neonates, infants, and adults. Two change patterns of extra-axonal axial and radial diffusivities are found during development. This may be related to premyelination and myelination. Developmental changes of the fiber dispersion and intra-axonal diffusivities are observed in both pre-myelination and myelination periods. Directional diffusivities in intra-axonal and extra-axonal compartments provide more detailed information to evaluate axonal development.

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