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An automatic tool to facilitate the statistical group analysis of DTI
A Garin-Muga1, J Pla-Vidal2, D Borro1
1CEIT and Tecnun University of Navarra, Paseo Manuel Lardizabal 15, 20018 San Sebastián, Spain.
Background:
Users may have difficulty calculating DTI group statistics since they need to master several complex tools that require high user intervention. A tool called DTIStatistics for the automatic and easy calculation of DTI group statistics was developed to reduce analysis times and possible errors.
Methods:
The proposed software was designed by using a user-centred methodology in which we performed an iterative usability evaluation with an expert committee. Once the experts׳ requirements were fulfilled, we performed a validation of the final version of DTIStatistics with target users, comparing the execution time of this tool and the standard pipeline normally used.
Results:
Target users needed significantly less time to complete the tasks with DTIStatistics, reducing the analysis time from 1383.78 to 57.2s. They were able to complete all the tasks and barely made errors. Moreover, target users were not able to display the analysis results with the standard pipeline, but when using our tool they only needed 34s. Target users found DTIStatistics easy to learn, use and interact with, and they concluded that they could effectively complete the tasks with it. Additionally, we present example results in the study of depression to demonstrate the validity of DTIStatistics for clinical research.
Conclusions:
DTIStatistics facilitates and significantly automates the calculation of DTI group statistics by reducing the analysis times, which implies lower costs. DTIStatistics is highly applicable in clinical research, as demonstrated by the fact that it is currently being used at the University Hospital, University of Navarra (Spain).
