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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Radiol Imaging 2025; 35(02): 280-286
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1791809
Original Article

Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Auditory Pathway in Prelingual Deaf Children in Comparison to Normal Hearing Children in the 1 to 7 Years of Age Group

John K. Joy
1   Department of Radiodiagnosis, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Patna, Bihar, India
,
Subhash Kumar
1   Department of Radiodiagnosis, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Patna, Bihar, India
,
Kranti Bhavana
2   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Patna, Bihar, India
,
Pradeep Kumar
3   Department of Paediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Patna, Bihar, India
,
Arun Srinivaasan
4   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Patna, Bihar, India
,
Mala Mahto
5   Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Patna, Bihar, India
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Abstract

Objective This article aims to determine the microstructural alterations in the auditory pathway in prelingual deaf children using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-derived parameters—fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and secondarily to evaluate these changes in rubella and cytomegalovirus (CMV) positive cases.

Materials and Methods A consecutive series of consenting deaf and normal children between 1 and 7 years of age, forming the case and control groups, respectively, underwent DTI, audiological tests, and testing for rubella, CMV, and toxoplasma infections. FA and ADC were measured at four locations bilaterally: lateral lemniscus (LL), inferior colliculus, medial geniculate body, and auditory cortex (AC).

Result The mean ADC values were higher and the mean FA values were lower in cases (19 males, 21 females, mean age 2.65 years) than the controls (21 males, 19 females, mean age 4.63 years) at all eight sites. Sixteen (40%), 17 (42.5%), and 7 (17.5%) cases had severe, severe to profound, and profound hearing loss, respectively, the FA and ADC values being significantly different for LL. For rubella and CMV immunoglobulin G, 20/40and 17/40 cases were positive, respectively, 11 for both, and none for toxoplasma. Significant decrease in FA was seen at LL and AC in rubella/CMV positive cases.

Conclusion Microstructural changes are seen throughout the auditory pathway in prelingual deaf children, especially with rubella and/or CMV positive status. Further studies may pave the path to segregate out patient groups potentially more responsive to cochlear implant.

Keywords

diffusion tensor imaging - prelingual deafness - auditory pathway - fractional anisotropy - apparent diffusion coefficient

Data Availability

The essential data pertaining to the study are attached in the [Supplementary File S1] (available in the online version).


Ethical Approval

This study was performed according to the Declaration of Helsinki, and after obtaining approval from the Institute Ethics Committee.


Supplementary Material



Publication History

Article published online:
24 October 2024

© 2024. Indian Radiological Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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