Correlation Between Longitudinal Changes in Substructure DTI and Neurocognitive Outcomes for Pediatric Brain Tumor Patients

Motivation: The five-year survival of pediatric CNS tumors has increased from 57% in 1975 to 77% in 2015. Despite these improvements, survivors are at risk for cognitive sequelae resulting from disease and treatment exposures. Goal(s): Evaluate the correlations between substructure white matter integrity and neurocognitive outcomes. Approach: The current study examined associations between longitudinal change in substructure DTI and neurocognitive outcomes in 61 pediatric brain tumor patients. Results: Moderate correlations were found between mean diffusivity in the middle cerebellar peduncle and working memory, fractional anisotropy in the inferior cerebellar peduncle and intelligence quotient, and axial diffusivity in the corpus callosum and processing speed. Impact: Quantifying the correlation between longitudinal change in substructure DTI and cognitive outcomes in pediatric brain tumor patients will aid radiation oncologists in the pursuit of substructure-informed treatment planning by limiting dose to brain substructures sensitive to specific neurocognitive domains.