We conducted a longitudinal study to explore the radiation-induced alterations of structural brain network for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) technique and graph theory. The dose-dependent effect was also investigated using Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficient. The structural brain connectivity was found to be altered at both 0~3 (acute) and 6 months (early-delayed) after radiotherapy (RT) and showed a tendency of recovery at 12 months (late-delayed) after RT. Also, the change of nodal properties were related to the temporal dose. These findings provide new insights into the pathophysiological mechanism of radiation-induced brain injuries.
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