Cingulate Apparent Diffusion Coefficient measurements in children with Neurofibromatosis type 1

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to objectively verify and study a bright magnetic resonance imaging T2 signal that was qualitatively observed in the anterior cingulate region in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). We performed a retrospective study in children with the cingulate imaging sign with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements in the anterior and posterior cingulate region, as well as in a reference region in the vitreous. There were 18 NF1 patients and 18 matched controls age 2–14 yr in whom ADC measurements were performed. We found significantly higher ADC values in NF1 patients in the visibly abnormal anterior cingulate, but also in the normal appearing posterior cingulate regions (p < 0.00001). Major considerations to explain the high ADC values include vasogenic edema and abnormal myelination. Given its location in the cingulate, our observed magnetic resonance imaging sign may bear relevance to cognitive symptoms in NF1 patients and warrants further investigation with correlating studies.