Title: A framework for quantitative and visual analysis of white matter integrity using Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Authors: Xuwei Liang, Ning Kang, Stephen E. Rose, Jun Zhang

Addresses: Department of Computer Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0046, USA. ' Center for Scientific Computation in Imaging, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. ' The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, 4029, Australia. ' Department of Computer Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0046, USA

Abstract: A new quantitative and visual analysis technique is developed to study the white matter integrity along fibre bundles using Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) tractography. Our approach takes advantages of DTI tractography and geodesic path mapping, which establishes group-wise correspondences to allow direct cross-subject evaluation of diffusion properties. The 3D volumetric fibre bundle is approximated by streamlines reconstructed using DTI. We present the fibre bundle mask strategy to measure thin fibre bundles in group analysis. A novel isonode visualisation method is developed to facilitate the visual inspection of local white matter alterations within a neural pathway.

Keywords: DTI; diffusion tensor imaging; white matter tractography; thin fibre bundles; geodesic distance; geodesic path mapping; isonode visualisation; visual inspection; neural pathways; human brain connectivity; brain diseases.

DOI: 10.1504/IJFIPM.2009.027590

International Journal of Functional Informatics and Personalised Medicine, 2009 Vol.2 No.2, pp.159 - 174

Published online: 02 Aug 2009 *

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