MAP-MRI: a Potential Tool for Investigating Pathophysiological Mechanisms in Pediatric Basic Intermittent Exotropia

Motivation: To better understand the pathophysiological progression mechanism of childhood basic-type IXT and develop an accurate approach for early diagnosis. Goal(s): To find a valuable tool in reflecting the pathological changes of the visual center pathway in IXT children. Approach: A voxel-wise analysis was performed for MAPMRI-derived parameters between IXT patients and health controls, and a DTI analysis was used as reference.Results: Compared with DTI, MAPMRI-derived parameters demonstrated significant differences in more brain regions associated with visual cortex. Brain regions with microstructural changes include MOG.R, SOG.R, IOG.R, and MTG.R.Impact: We firstly explored MAPMRI’s value in detecting abnormal pathological changes of the primary and higher visual center, and the ocular movement pathway in children with basic IXT. This discovery enhances comprehension of IXT's pathology and offers insights for early diagnosis.