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Acquisition (modify according to your specific protocol)

MRI data was acquired on a Siemens 3T Trio MR scanner (Siemens Medical Systems, Erlangen, Germany) using a 32-channel phased-array head coil. Diffusion encoding was achieved using a single-shot spin-echo echo planar sequence with twice-refocused balanced diffusion encoding gradients. In order to enable high angular resolution reconstruction and reliable fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) measures, images were acquired with 99 diffusion encoding directions, 2mm isotropic voxel size, 63 slices, b=1000 s/mm^2, TE=89ms, TR=8.4s, and GRAPPA parallel reconstruction, for a total scan time of approximately 15min. A 1mm isotropic resolution T1 weighted anatomical scan was also acquired (TR=9.7ms, TE=4ms, FA=12degrees).

Single diffusion series:
The diffusion and anatomical datasets were registered using a mutual information based algorithm [Maes et al., 1997] to remove image misregistration from echo planar induced image shifts and motion, assuming that no motion occurred within a set. The diffusion directions were corrected accordingly.

If multi-run acquisitions:
Each run was linearly registered to the first diffusion series using the b=0 image, while assuming that no motion occurred within a set. The first diffusion and anatomical datasets were then registered using a mutual information based algorithm [Maes et al., 1997] to remove image misregistration from echo planar induced image shifts and motion. The diffusion datasets were then transformed using the combined transformation and concatenated rather than averaged, since the gain in SNR is equivalent and it enables the corrections to the gradient table needed following image transformation.

Diffusion MRI processing

Diffusion MRI processing was done using in-house software.

- If multi-fibre reconstruction using spherical deconvolution was used:
From the diffusion weighted images, the fibre orientation distribution function (fibre ODF) was calculated using spherical deconvolution [Anderson 2005].

- If tensor fit was used (single fibre):
A least squares diffusion tensor fit was [also] performed in order to generate fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity maps.

Tractography

- If using Maxima algorithm:
Streamline tractography was performed by following the fibre ODF maximum closest to the incoming vector direction, in an algorithm otherwise implemented as in previous work by [Campbell et al., 2006].

- If using FACT algorithm:
Streamline tractography was performed by following the prinicipal eigenvector direction (FACT), as described by [Mori et al., 1999]

*describe regions of interest (ROIs)...
*if -brute-force option used:

Tracking was initiated in all voxels in the volume and tracts that passed through the tract-delineating ROIs were retained.

*if -brute-force option not used:

Tracking was initiated in all voxels in the (and tracts that passed through all of the tract-delineating ROIs were retained)

*Below, <> signifies an input option specific to your study. If there is a default, it is here:

The tracking was initiated on a <3x3x3> grid of start points in order to facilitate branching. The tracking was stopped if the fractional anisotropy (FA) was less than <>, the mean diffusivity was greater than <>mm^2/ms, or the curvature from one voxel to the next was greater than <>^degrees.

*if -exclude option used, describe those ROIs too.

Tracts that _______ were excluded.

References

  1. [Maes et al., 1997] Maes, F., Collignon, A., Vandermeulen, D.,Marchal, G., and Suetens, P. Multimodality image registration by maximization of mutual information. IEEE Trans Med Imaging. 1997 Apr;16(2):187-98.
  2. [Anderson 2005] A.W. Anderson. Measurement of fiber orientation distributions using high angular resolution diffusion imaging. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 54(5):1194-1206, 2005.
  3. [Campbell et al, 2006] Campbell, J.S.W., Savadjiev, P., Siddiqi, K. and Pike, G.B. Validation and regularization in diffusion MRI tractography. In IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging Conference Proceedings, pages 351-354, 2006.
  4. [Mori et al, 1999] Mori S, Crain BJ, Chacko VP, van Zijl PCM. Three dimensional tracking of axonal projections in the brain by magnetic resonance imaging. Ann Neurol 1999; 45: 265-269

Ilana Leppert
created: Feb 23rd 2010
last modified: Feb 23rd 2010