Objective To investigate the association between mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and white matter damage in different brain regions using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).Methods A total of 56 patients who were hospitalized in our hospital from July 2015 to February 2016 were enrolled and divided into MCI group (34 patients) and normal cognitive function group (22 patients).Their general status was examined and neuropsychological scales were also used for evaluation.DTI was used to measure the fractional anisotropy (FA) values of white matter fibers in different brain regions.Results Compared with the normal cognitive function group,the MCI group had significant reductions in the FA values of the white matter in the right frontal lobe (0.335±0.068),the left temporal lobe (0.391±0.032),and the genu of corpus callosum (0.658±0.053)(P<0.05).A canonical correlation analysis was performed for the FA values above and cognitive domains in the Mini-Mental State Examination scale and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale;the results showed that the FA value of the white matter in the right frontal lobe was positively correlated with attention and calculation (P<0.05) and the FA values of the white matter in the left temporal lobe and the genu of corpus callosum were positively correlated with memory (P<0.05).Conclusions The impairment of attention and calculation in patients with MCI may be associated with white matter damage in the right frontal lobe,and white matter damage in the left temporal lobe and the genu of corpus callosum may cause early-stage memory disorder.DTI may be a new method for ultra-early identification and diagnosis of MCI.