Performance evaluation of anisotropic diffusion simulation based tractography on phantom images

ABSTRACT

White matter tractography using diffusion tensor MR images is a promising method for estimating the pathways of white matter tracts in the human brain. The success of this method ultimately depends upon the accuracy of the white matter tractography algorithms. In this study, a central database of simulated common fiber tract trajectories was used to investigate the impact of SNR, tensor anisotropy, and diffusion tensor encoding directions on the accuracy of our fiber tracking method. The accuracy was assessed in six kinds of tracts and tract geometrics with divergence properties. In general the tract dispersion increases with distance and decreases with SNR and anisotropy. The tract orientation with respect to the encoding scheme also influences tract dispersion. Divergent tract geometries enhance tract dispersion, whereas convergent tract geometries reduce dispersion.

REFERENCES

• 1: Lazar, M., and Alexander, A. L. An error analysis of white matter tractography methods: synthetic diffusion field simulations. NeuroImage, 20:1140--1153, 2003.
• 2: Lazar, M., et al. White matter tractography using diffusion tensor deflection. Human Brain Mapping, 18:306--321, 2003.
• 3: Kang, N., et al. White matter fiber tractography via anisotropic diffusion simulation in the human brain, IEEE Transaction on Medical Imaging, 24:1127--1137, 2005.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  J. Computer Applications
  J.3 LIFE AND MEDICAL SCIENCES

General Terms:
Performance

Keywords:
diffusion simulation based tractography (DST), diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI), phantom images for simulating tractography errors (PISTE)