MR line scan diffusion imaging of the brain in children

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: MR imaging of the self-diffusion of water has becom e increasingly popular for the early detection of cerebral infarction in ad ults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate MR line scan diffusion imag ing (LSDI) of the brain in children. METHODS: LSDI was performed in four volunteers and 12 patients by using an effective TR/TE of 2736/89.4 and a maximum b value of 450 to 600 s/mm(2) ap plied in the x, y, and z directions. In the volunteers, single-shot echo pl anar imaging of diffusion (EPID) was also performed. The patients (10 boys and two girls) ranged in age from 2 days to 16 years (average age, 6.6 year s). Diagnoses included acute cerebral infarction, seizure disorder, posttra umatic confusion syndrome, complicated migraine, residual astrocytoma, ence phalitis, hypoxia without cerebral infarction, cerebral contusion, and conv ersion disorder. In all patients, routine spin-echo images were also acquir ed. Trace images and apparent diffusion coefficient maps were produced for each location scanned with LSDI. RESULTS: In the volunteers, LSDI showed less chemical-shift and magnetic-su sceptibility artifact and less geometric distortion than did EPID, LSDI was of diagnostic quality in all studies. Diffusion abnormalities were present in five patients. Restricted diffusion was present in the lesions of the t hree patients with acute cerebral infarction. Mildly increased diffusion wa s present in the lesions of encephalitis and residual cerebellar astrocytom a. No diffusion abnormalities were seen in the remaining seven children. CONCLUSION: LSDI is feasible in children, provides high-quality diffusion i mages with less chemical-shift and magnetic-susceptibility artifact and les s geometric distortion than does EPID, and complements the routine MR exami nation.