Introduction:　In　recent　years,　diffusion　tensor　imaging　(DTI)　has　emerged　as　a　promising　tool　to　study　ischemic　stroke.　The　aim　of　this　study　is　to　evaluate　the　anisotropic　changes　of　cerebral　white　matter　tracks　in　patients　with　ischemic　stroke　using　DTI,　and　investigate　the　correlation　between　corticospinal　tract　damage　and　muscle　strength　in　such　patients　during　acute　ischemia.　Methods:　Nine　patients　with　acute　ischemic　stroke　and　nine　healthy　subjects　were　examined　with　T1　weighted　magnetic　resonance　imaging　(MRI),　T2　weighted　MRI　and　DTI.　Fractional　anisotropy　(FA)　was　measured　and　the　three-dimensional　fibrous　band　images　of　bilateral　corticospinal　tracts　were　reconstructed.　The　muscle　strength　of　the　affected　hand　was　assessed　by　Brunnstorm　standard.　Results:　In　the　control　group,　there　was　no　significant　difference　in　FA　between　the　bilateral　corticospinal　tracts,　but　FA　in　different　white　matter　structures　of　the　same　side　was　significantly　different　(　t=3.12,　p＜0.05);　while　in　the　patient　group,　FA　of　the　infarcted　sites　was　significantly　lower　than　the　contralateral　ones　(t=5.570,　p＜0.01).　The　ipsilateral　corticospinal　tract　demonstrated　continuous　interruption　and　the　loss　of　consistent　anatomic　structure.　The　involved　severity　of　corticospinal　tract　had　significant　correlation　with　that　of　muscle　strength　of　the　ipsilateral　hand　(r=1.30,　p＜0.01).　Conclusion:　This　study　shows　that　DTI　can　be　used　to　investigate　ischemic　stroke　and　assess　ischemic　stroke-induced　damage.　The　damaged　severity　of　corticospinal　tracts　is　correlated　with　that　of　muscle　strength.　[Neurol　Res　2008;　30:　720-726]