Corpus callosum: Normal imaging appearance, variants and pathologic conditions (original) (raw)
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Kafkas Journal of Medical Sciences
Although rare, splenium of the corpus callosum (SCC) may be involved in many etiological conditions. Most forms of involvement are permanent and minorities of these are transient. The pathophysiology is intra-myelinic axonal edema related to hyponatremia and local inflammatory cell infiltration. The first case; 34-years-old female patient accepted to our unit with recurrent complex-partial seizures. She had epilepsy for 10 years and carbamazepine using for 4 years. Second case; 22-years-old female patient presented with vomiting, nausea and visual deficiency. Both cases magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed focal diffusion limitation in SCC. A comprehensive diagnostic work-up was carried out to account for these clinical and neuro-radiological presentations. 1-month follow up MRI showed resolution of these lesions. Previously, transient limitation of diffusion of SCC has been mostly reported in epileptic patients and treatment with anti-epileptic agents. However, many other conditions may result the appearance of similar clinical states. These patients may have mild form of encephalopathy and the prognosis is generally good. MRI is particularly sensitive in early identification of these lesions. A good understanding of the transient nature of the condition may allow avoidance from unnecessary invasive diagnostic and therapeutic methods.
Regional MRI measurements of the corpus callosum: a methodological and developmental study
Brain and Development, 1996
A technique for quantifying the midsagittal size and shape of the corpus cailosum (CC) from magnetic resonance brain scans is presented. The technique utilizes the distances to the ventral and dorsal boundaries of small sectors of the CC from a reference point to c0mpute the size and shape parameters of the CC and its subdivisions. Intrarater and interrater interclass correlation coefficients for the area measurements ranged from 0.88 to 0.99. Correlations between these automated measures and those obtained by pixel counting were equally high. The corpus cailosa of 104 (57 male and 47 female) right-handed healthy children and adolescents, ages 4-18, were examined in relation to age and sex. Corpus callosum growth was most striking for the splenium and isthmus with some changes in the midbody regions. The area and perimeter of these regions increased, shapes became more compact, and the boundaries became more regular with age. The length and curvature at the anterior and posterior regions of the CC increased more rapidly in males than in females. These significant and consistent results indicate that the method is reliable and sensitive to developmental changes of the CC. 48], handedness ] and brain symmetry patterns . Although there is preliminary evidence that the CC may carry a different number of fibers in males and females and in dextrals as opposed to sinistrals, controversies exist among the findings related to CC shape and size. The inconsistency of the findings may be related to methodological differences, different sample sizes, difficulty in quantifying the complex shape of the CC, and individual variability of the CC morphology. For these reasons, methodological issues and sample characteristics play an important role in the examination of CC morphology.
Pediatric Radiology, 2014
Background Thickened corpus callosum is a rare finding and its pathophysiology is not well known. An anomalous supracallosal bundle has been depicted by fiber tracking in some cases but no diffusion tensor imaging metrics of thickened corpus callosum have been reported. Objective To use diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in cases of thickened corpus callosum to help in understanding its clinical significance. Materials and methods During a 7-year period five children (ages 6 months to 15 years) with thickened corpus callosum were studied. We determined DTI metrics of fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity, and axial (λ1) and radial (λ2, λ3) diffusivity and performed 3-D fiber tracking reconstruction of the thickened corpus callosum. We compared our results with data from the literature and 24 age-matched controls. Results Brain abnormalities were seen in all cases. All children had at least three measurements of corpus callosum thickness above the 97th percentile according to age. In all children 3-D fiber tracking showed an anomalous supracallosal bundle and statistically significant decrease in FA (P=0.003) and λ1 (P=0.001) of the corpus callosum compared with controls, but no significant difference in mean diffusivity and radial diffusivity. Conclusion Thickened corpus callosum was associated with abnormal bundles, suggesting underlying axonal guidance abnormality. DTI metrics suggested abnormal fiber compactness and density, which may be associated with alterations in cognition.
Diffusion Tensor Group Tractography of the Corpus Callosum in Clinically Isolated Syndrome
American Journal of Neuroradiology, 2010
Many studies have observed atrophy and abnormal diffusion within the CC in MS. However, few studies have addressed whether such abnormalities appear at the earliest stage of MS, especially in CIS. In this study, we aimed to investigate the CC integrity and patterns of CC abnormalities in CIS with diffusion tensor group tractography.
Age-related degeneration of corpus callosum measured with diffusion tensor imaging
NeuroImage, 2006
The corpus callosum is the major commissure connecting the cerebral hemispheres, and there is evidence of its change with aging. The subregions of the corpus callosum (genu, rostral body, anterior midbody, posterior midbody, isthmus, splenium) respectively comprise fibers connecting heteromodal-and unimodal-associated cortical regions, and it is known that abnormalities of the corpus callosum are correlated with abnormalities in cognition and behavior. Yet, little is known about changes in the tissue characteristics of its sub-regions. We assessed agerelated changes in fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity in the sub-regions of the corpus callosum using diffusion tensor imaging. We studied 42 healthy right-handed individuals aged 21 -73 years. There were no significant interactions of sex  region. Age has significant negative correlation with fractional anisotropy in the genu ( P < 0.001), rostral body ( P < 0.001), and isthmus ( P = 0.005). Fractional anisotropy of the anterior midbody was correlated negatively with age at a trend level ( P = 0.022). Age was significantly positively correlated with mean diffusivity in the genu ( P = 0.001), rostral body ( P = 0.002), anterior midbody ( P = 0.001), and isthmus ( P = 0.001). Age-related changes were detected in the sub-regions where their projection areas are thought to be vulnerable to normal aging. This suggested that fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity values of the corpus callosum sub-regions could serve as markers of disturbance across the respective projection areas. D
American Journal of Neuroradiology, 2009
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patients with agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC) exhibit cognitive and behavioral impairments that are not replicated by surgical transection of the callosum, suggesting that other anatomic changes may contribute to the observed clinical findings. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the ventral cingulum bundle (VCB) is affected in patients with AgCC by using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and volumetry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve participants with AgCC (8 males and 4 females; mean age, 30 Ϯ 20) and 12 control subjects matched for age and sex (mean age, 37 Ϯ 19) underwent MR imaging and DTI at 3T. 3D fiber tracking of the VCB was generated from DTI and the average fractional anisotropy (FA) was computed for the tracked fibers. Additionally, the volume, cross-sectional area, and length of the VCB were measured by manually drawn regions of interest on thin-section coronal T1-weighted images. The Student t test was used to compare these results. RESULTS: Compared with controls, subjects with AgCC demonstrated significantly reduced FA in the right VCB (P ϭ .0098) and reduced volume and cross-sectional areas of both the left and right VCB (P Ͻ .001 for all metrics). The length of the VCB was also significantly reduced in the complete AgCC subgroup compared with controls (P ϭ .030 in the right and P ϭ .046 in the left, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AgCC have abnormal microstructure and reduced volume of the VCB, suggesting that abnormalities in intrahemispheric white matter tracts may be an important contributor to the clinical syndrome in patients with AgCC.
Congenital and Acquired Abnormalities of the Corpus Callosum: A Pictorial Essay
BioMed Research International, 2013
The purpose of this review is to illustrate the wide spectrum of lesions in the corpus callosum, both congenital and acquired: developmental abnormalities, phakomatoses, neurometabolic disorders, demyelinating diseases, infection and inflammation, vascular lesions, neoplasms, traumatic and iatrogenic injury, and others. Cases include fetuses, children, and adults with rich iconography from the authors’ own archive.
Brain and Development, 2008
A transient lesion in the splenium of the corpus callosum is a rare disease and its pathogenesis is unclear. We performed simultaneous diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images and brain blood perfusion scintigraphy for a transient lesion in the splenium of the corpus callosum. This transient lesion showed hyperintensity on the diffusion-weighted images and hypointensity on the apparent diffusion coefficient map. However, normal blood perfusion was observed on brain blood perfusion scintigraphy. Transient axonal or intramyelinic edema might be a cause of the transient lesion in the splenium of the corpus callosum.