Delineating white matter structure in diffusion tensor MRI with anisotropy creases

G. Kindlmann, Xavier Tricoche, C.-F. Westin
Medical Image Analysis
Volume 11, Number 5, Pages 492-502
October, 2007

Download full paper            DOI: 10.1016/j.media.2007.07.005

Abstract

Geometric models of white matter architecture play an increasing role in neuroscientific applications of diffusion tensor imaging, and the most popular method for building them is fiber tractography. For some analysis tasks, however, a compelling alternative may be found in the first and second derivatives of diffusion anisotropy. We extend to tensor fields the notion from classical computer vision of ridges and valleys, and define anisotropy creases as features of locally extremal tensor anisotropy. Mathematically, these are the loci where the gradient of anisotropy is orthogonal to one or more eigenvectors of its Hessian. We propose that anisotropy creases provide a basis for extracting a skeleton of the major white matter pathways, in that ridges of anisotropy coincide with interiors of fiber tracts, and valleys of anisotropy coincide with the interfaces between adjacent but distinctly oriented tracts. The crease extraction algorithm we present generates high-quality polygonal models of crease surfaces, which are further simplified by connected-component analysis. We demonstrate anisotropy creases on measured diffusion MRI data, and visualize them in combination with tractography to confirm their anatomic relevance.

anisotropy creases
Anisotropy ridge surfaces extracted from six different DTI scans, viewed from a viewpoint that is anterior and slightly to the right. The largest connected component is shown opaque, the next eight largest connected components are shown translucent. In all cases, the corpus callosum and some of the corona radiata is extracted automatically. Other extracted tracts include the internal and external capsules, arcuate fasciculus, and the cortico-spinal tract in the brainstem.

Reference

Kindlmann G, Tricoche X, Westin CF. Delineating white matter structure in diffusion tensor MRI with anisotropy creases. Medical Image Analysis 2007;11(5):492-502.

Bibtex entry

@ARTICLE{kindlmannMIA07,
  author         = {Gordon Kindlmann and Xavier Tricoche and Carl-Fredrik      
                   Westin},                                                    
  title          = {Delineating white matter structure in diffusion tensor     
                   {MRI} with  anisotropy creases},                            
  journal        = {Medical Image Analysis},                                   
  year           = {2007},                                                     
  volume         = {11},                                                       
  pages          = {492--502},                                                 
  number         = {5},                                                        
  month          = {October},                                                  
  doi            = "10.1016/j.media.2007.07.005"}

Grants

NIH T32-EB002177 (NIBIB), NIH U41-RR019703 (IGT), NIH P41-RR13218 (NAC), NIH P41-RR12553 (CIBC), NIH R01-MH050740, NIH R01-MH074794

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