# Diffusion Tensor Imaging Analysis of Fine Motor Dysfunction and Recovery Following Cranioplasty

## TL;DR

A woman with brain injury showed motor improvement after surgery, revealed by advanced imaging that detected subtle brain changes not visible in standard scans.

## Contribution

Demonstrates the utility of DTI in identifying brain recovery not visible on conventional MRI after cranioplasty.

## Key findings

- Fine motor dysfunction occurred after decompressive craniectomy despite normal conventional MRI results.
- DTI showed increased FA in the primary motor cortex following cranioplasty, correlating with motor recovery.
- DTI can detect subtle brain changes not visible on standard imaging techniques.

## Abstract

We report a case of a 42-year-old woman who developed fine motor dysfunction after decompressive craniectomy for traumatic brain injury (TBI), despite the absence of obvious lesions on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to explain the motor deficits. Following cranioplasty, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) revealed an increase in fractional anisotropy (FA) in the primary motor cortex, which correlated with significant improvement in motor function. These findings highlight DTI's potential as a valuable tool for capturing subtle brain changes not apparent on conventional imaging techniques.