Diffusion-weighted imaging of acute corticospinal tract injury preceding Wallerian degeneration in the maturing human brain.

Abstract

As shown in this retrospective analysis, DW imaging can depict acute injury to the descending white matter tract in neonates and infants, when conventional MR imaging may show normal findings. These DW findings likely precede the development of Wallerian degeneration, and they may portend a poor clinical outcome.