Recent studies have shown a significant correlation between white matter anisotropy and reading ability in adults and children 11 years old and older.
Recent studies have shown a significant correlation between white matter anisotropy and reading ability in adults and children 11 years old and older. New diffusion tensor MRI data by Canadian researchers provide evidence this relationship can be found much earlier in life.
Principal investigator Christian Beaulieu, Ph.D., an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Alberta, and colleagues assessed 47 healthy children ages five to 10. They split them, based on education level, into two groups: kindergarten to first grade and second to fourth grade. Children underwent DTI on a 1.5T scanner as well as a comprehensive cognitive assessment including reading skills and nonverbal intelligence.
The investigators found significant positive correlations between reading ability and left hemisphere fractional anisotropy, validating earlier findings on older subjects. The younger age group showed significant correlations between reading skills and left and right brain hemispheres. Researchers presented their findings at the 2006 ISMRM meeting.
Stay at the forefront of radiology with the Diagnostic Imaging newsletter, delivering the latest news, clinical insights, and imaging advancements for today’s radiologists.
Study Shows Enhanced Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Stenosis with Photon-Counting CTA
July 10th 2025In a new study comparing standard resolution and ultra-high resolution modes for patients undergoing coronary CTA with photon-counting detector CT, researchers found that segment-level sensitivity and accuracy rates for diagnosing coronary artery stenosis were consistently > 89.6 percent.
FDA Expands Approval of MRI-Guided Ultrasound Treatment for Patients with Parkinson’s Disease
July 9th 2025For patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease, the expanded FDA approval of the Exablate Neuro platform allows for the use of MRI-guided focused ultrasound in performing staged bilateral pallidothalamic tractotomy.