Processing and Visualization of Diffusion Tensor MRI

C.-F. Westin, S. E. Maier, H. Mamata, A. Nabavi, F. A. Jolesz, R. Kikinis
Medical Image Analysis
Volume 6, Number 2, Pages 93-108
2002

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Abstract

This paper presents processing and visualization techniques for Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DT-MRI). In DT-MRI, each voxel is assigned a tensor that describes local water diffusion. The geometric nature of diffusion tensors enables us to quantitatively characterize the local structure in tissues such as bone, muscle, and white matter of the brain. This makes DT-MRI an interesting modality for image analysis. In this paper we present a novel analytical solution to the Stejskal–Tanner diffusion equation system whereby a dual tensor basis, derived from the diffusion sensitizing gradient configuration, eliminates the need to solve this equation for each voxel. We further describe decomposition of the diffusion tensor based on its symmetrical properties, which in turn describe the geometry of the diffusion ellipsoid. A simple anisotropy measure follows naturally from this analysis. We describe how the geometry or shape of the tensor can be visualized using a coloring scheme based on the derived shape measures. In addition, we demonstrate that human brain tensor data when filtered can effectively describe macrostructural diffusion, which is important in the assessment of fiber-tract organization. We also describe how white matter pathways can be monitored with the methods introduced in this paper. DT-MRI tractography is useful for demonstrating neural connectivity (in vivo) in healthy and diseased brain tissue.

Visualization of diffusion tensors. The tensors are color coded according to the shape: linear case is blue, planar case is yellow, and spherical case is red. The radius of the sphere is the smallest eigenvalue of the diffusion tensor; the radius of the disk is second largest; and the length of the rod is twice the largest eigenvalue. The right image shows a simulated tensor field of three crossing white matter tracts. Due to partial voluming effects, the tensors in the area where the fibers are crossing have spherical shape.

Reference

Westin CF, Maier SE, Mamata H, Nabavi A, Jolesz FA, Kikinis R. Processing and visualization of diffusion tensor MRI. Medical Image Analysis 2002;6(2):93-108.

Bibtex entry

@article{westinMEDIA02,
  author         = {C.-F. Westin and S. E. Maier and H. Mamata and A. Nabavi   
                   and F. A. Jolesz and R. Kikinis},                           
  title          = {Processing and Visualization of Diffusion Tensor {MRI}},   
  journal        = {Medical Image Analysis},                                   
  year           = 2002,                                                       
  volume         = 6,                                                          
  number         = 2,                                                          
  pages          = {93--108}
}

Grants

NIH P41-RR13218 (NAC), NIH R01-RR11747, NIH P01-CA67165, NIH R01-NS39335, Whitaker Foundation

Research areas

DTMRI, Tensor

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