基于弥散张量追踪技术的胶质瘤患者结构网络的节点度研究

Study of the Degree in White Matter Structural Networks in the Glioma Based on Diffusion Tensor Tractography

目前临床上迫切需要一种有效的脑胶质瘤患者脑功能损伤的检测手段,理解其发病机制。本研究提出弥散张量追踪技术与"小世界"网络相结合的方法,利用脑结构网络中节点度来研究颞叶区胶质瘤患者大脑的复杂网络拓扑属性。实验结果表明:对比正常被试组,不同等级的胶质瘤患者脑网络均遭到不同程度破坏,但破坏程度与肿瘤等级无关。网络中功能连接的度分布均呈异质性较明显的指数截断幂律分布。同时胶质瘤患者组的信息传输最大的脑功能区域发生转移,且存在语言功能区和感觉功能区等区域的缺失。

At present, an effective detecting method for brain function impairment for the patients with the glioma is urgently needed in clinic, because it may help us understand its pathogenesis. This paper proposes a method of com- bining diffusion tensor tracing technology and ＇ small world＇ network. It utilizes the degree of brain function network to study complex network topological properties of the patients with the glioma in temporal lobe area. The experi mental results showed that the brain networks of the patients with the glioma of different grades were destroyed com- pared with those of the normal persons, but the destruction degree is independent of the tumor grades. The distribu- tion of functional connections is index truncated power-law accompanied by significant heterogeneity. Meanwhile, the stronger functional areas of information in the glioma have transferred and there exists lack of language function area and sensory function area.