Repeatability of measured brain volume by atlas-based method using T1-weighted image

The aims of this study were to (1) investigate the repeatability of measured volumes using the atlas-based method in each area of the brain, and (2) validate our hypothesis that the repeatability of the measured volumes with the atlas-based method was improved by using smoothed images. T1-weighted magnetic resonance images were obtained in five healthy subjects using the 1.5-T scanner. We used Statistical Parametric Mapping 5 and WFU PickAtlas software (theory of the Talairach brain atlas). Volumes inside region-of-interest (ROI) were measured in ten sets (five subjects × right and left) on six ROIs, respectively. One set comprises five images (one subject × five 3D-T1WIs). The percentage change was defined as [100 × (measured volume-mean volume in each set)/mean volume in each set)]. As a result, the average percentage changes using non-smoothed image on each ROI were as follows: gray matter, 0.482%; white matter, 0.375%; cerebrospinal fluid images, 0.731%; hippocampus, 0.864%; orbital gyrus, 1.692%; cerebellum posterior lobe, 0.854%. Using smoothed images with large FWHM resulted in improved repeatability on orbital gyrus. This is the first report of repeatability in each brain structure and improved repeatability with smoothed images using the atlas-based method.