基于扩散张量磁共振成像中三维方向扩散函数的白质连通性估计。

Estimation of white matter connectivity based on a three-dimensional directional diffusion function in diffusion tensor MRI.

作者信息

Kumazawa Seiji, Yoshiura Takashi, Arimura Hidetaka, Mihara Futoshi, Honda Hiroshi, Higashida Yoshiharu, Toyofuku Fukai

机构信息

Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.

出版信息

Med Phys. 2006 Dec;33(12):4643-52. doi: 10.1118/1.2374855.

Abstract

Diffusion tensor (DT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides the directional information of local neuronal fibers, and has been used to estimate the neuroanatomical connectivity in the cerebral white matter. Several methods for white matter tractography have been developed based on DT-MRI. However, it has been difficult to estimate the white matter tract pathways in the fiber crossing and branching region because of the ambiguity of the principal eigenvector and/or low anisotropy due to the partial volume effect. In this paper, we proposed a new method for white matter tractography, which permits fiber tract branching and passing through crossing regions. Our tractography method is based on a three-dimensional (3D) directional diffusion function (DDF), which was given by a 3D anisotropic Gaussian function defined by normalized three eigenvalues and their corresponding eigenvectors of DT. The DDF was used for generation of a 3D directional diffusion field and for determination of the connectivity between the voxels in fiber tracking. To extract the white matter tract region, DDF-based tractography (DDFT) method used the directional diffusion field instead of a threshold fractional anisotropy map, which has been used in the conventional methods, so that low anisotropy voxels in the branching and crossing regions may be included. We applied the DDFT method and two conventional tractography methods (a streamline technique and a tensorline algorithm) to DT-MRI data of five normal subjects for visualizing the pyramidal tract. Our method visualized the pathways connected to a large portion of the primary motor cortex, including foot, hand and face motor areas, passing through the crossing regions with other white matter tracts in all subjects, whereas the conventional methods showed only a small portion of the pyramidal tract. The pyramidal tract pathways estimated by our method were consistent with the neuroanatomical knowledge. In conclusion, the DDFT method may be useful in assisting neuroradiologists in estimating the white matter tracts.

摘要

扩散张量(DT)磁共振成像(MRI)可提供局部神经元纤维的方向信息,已被用于估计脑白质中的神经解剖连接性。基于DT-MRI已开发出多种白质纤维束成像方法。然而,由于主特征向量的模糊性和/或部分容积效应导致的低各向异性,在纤维交叉和分支区域估计白质纤维束路径一直很困难。在本文中,我们提出了一种新的白质纤维束成像方法,该方法允许纤维束分支并穿过交叉区域。我们的纤维束成像方法基于三维(3D)方向扩散函数(DDF),它由一个3D各向异性高斯函数给出,该函数由DT的归一化三个特征值及其相应的特征向量定义。DDF用于生成3D方向扩散场,并用于确定纤维追踪中体素之间的连接性。为了提取白质纤维束区域,基于DDF的纤维束成像(DDFT)方法使用方向扩散场代替传统方法中使用的阈值分数各向异性图,这样可以包括分支和交叉区域中的低各向异性体素。我们将DDFT方法和两种传统的纤维束成像方法(流线技术和张量线算法)应用于五名正常受试者的DT-MRI数据,以可视化锥体束。我们的方法在所有受试者中都可视化了连接大部分初级运动皮层(包括足部、手部和面部运动区)的路径,这些路径穿过与其他白质束的交叉区域,而传统方法仅显示了锥体束的一小部分。我们的方法估计的锥体束路径与神经解剖学知识一致。总之,DDFT方法可能有助于神经放射科医生估计白质纤维束。

文献AI研究员

20分钟写一篇综述,助力文献阅读效率提升50倍

立即体验

用中文搜PubMed

大模型驱动的PubMed中文搜索引擎

马上搜索