Visualization of maturation of the corpus callosum during childhood and adolescence using T2 relaxometry

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that maturation of the white matter in terms of its relative signal intensity changes on MRI is almost complete at 2–3 years of age. We hypothesized that quantitative analysis may show maturation of the white matter during childhood and adolescence. In the present study we performed multi-echo T2 relaxometry in 33 healthy subjects (girls, 15; boys, 18) aged 3–15 years. T2 relaxation times of the genu and splenium were measured. In healthy subjects, the T2 relaxation times were significantly correlated with age in both girls (r = 0.611, p = .016) and boys (r = 0.721, p = .001) in the splenium, but not in the genu (p > .05). To further confirm genu-to-splenium signal intensity ratio changes, a total of 389 brain MRIs were retrospectively selected from the patients who had normal results (189 girls/women, 200 boys/men; age range, 3–20 years). The genu-to-splenium signal intensity ratio was obtained from the T2-weighted images. In patients with normal MRI, the genu-to-splenium signal intensity ratio was significantly decreased with age (p < .001) by 16 years. The T2 relaxation times gradually increase in the splenium during childhood and adolescence, suggestive of maturation.