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Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging
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Six is enough? Comparison of diffusion parameters measured using six or more diffusion-encoding gradient directions

Catherine Lebel1, Thomas Benner, Christian Beaulieu

  • 1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
|December 14, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Six-direction diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) provides robust white matter tract measures comparable to higher-resolution scans. While some differences exist, six-direction DTI is suitable for most brain analyses.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)
  • White Matter Tractography

Background:

  • DTI tractography quantifies brain white matter using parameters like fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity.
  • Prior simulations suggest >6 gradient directions for reliable DTI parameter estimation.
  • The impact of gradient direction numbers on tractography in humans remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of varying gradient directions (6 vs. 30/60) on deterministic tractography-derived diffusion parameters in major human white matter tracts.
  • To compare the robustness and accuracy of diffusion measures obtained with different angular resolutions.

Main Methods:

  • Diffusion tensor imaging data were acquired from 11 healthy volunteers at 1.5 T.
  • Six-direction DTI data were compared against 30- and 60-direction data for 10 major white matter tracts.
  • Scan time and the number of b=0 images were kept constant across protocols.

Main Results:

  • Six-direction protocols yielded systematically lower mean diffusivity in 20/40 comparisons.
  • Higher fractional anisotropy was observed in the superior longitudinal fasciculus with six directions.
  • Tract volume was smaller for the genu of the corpus callosum using six-direction data.
  • Parameter differences were generally smaller than intersubject variability or signal-to-noise ratio effects.
  • Standard deviations of parameters were significantly different in only 1 out of 160 comparisons.

Conclusions:

  • Six-direction DTI data provide diffusion measures with comparable robustness to 30- or 60-direction data for most white matter tracts.
  • Six-direction DTI yields appropriate parameter values for many clinical and research applications.
  • Acquiring higher angular resolution DTI data offers distinct advantages, but six-direction protocols remain a viable option.