Diffusion MRI findings in patients with obsessive- compulsive caudate nucleus and putamen

The aim of this study is to reveal the finding of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging at caudate nucleus and putamen in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and to compare results with the control group.The study included 20 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders and 20 healthy volunteers. In these cases, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) and diffusion weighted echo-planar images (DW-EPI) at b600 and b1000 gradient values were taken and the measurements were made through the maps of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) of each group at b600 and b1000 values from caudate nucleus and putamen.Mean ADC values at b600 for the control group were found as 851,7 ± 101 x 10-6 mm²/sec in caudate nucleus and as 794 ± 32 x10-6 mm²/sec in putamen; these values at b600 for obsessive-compulsive patients were found as 841 ± 80 x 10-6 mm²/sec in caudate nucleus and 781 ± 34 x10-6 mm²/sec in putamen. For b1000, 773 ± 47 x10-6 , 720 ± 34 x10-6 mm²/sec were found in control group, respectively; and 747 ± 94 x 10-6 ; 696 ± 62 x 10-6 mm²/sec were found in obsessive-compulsive patiens, respectively.When DW-MRI examination in obsessive-compulsive patients was compared with control group, mean ADC values in caudate nucleus and putamen were not found statistically significant change. In addition, there were no significant differences about the right and left caudate nucleus and putamen ADC values at the b600 and b1000 in the both of obsessive- compulsive patients and control group.