Quantitative mapping of the brain's structural connectivity using diffusion MRI tractography: A review

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Computational Neuroscience
• Brain Connectomics

Background:

• Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) tractography reconstructs in vivo brain white matter connections.
• It is crucial for quantitative mapping of structural connectivity and tissue microstructure.
• dMRI tractography has been a cornerstone of neuroimaging research for two decades.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a high-level overview of quantitative tractography for analyzing brain structural connectivity.
• To review methodologies for tractography correction, segmentation, and quantification.
• To survey applications of quantitative tractography in health and disease.

Main Methods:

• Review of common processing steps: tractography correction, segmentation, and quantification.
• Discussion of methodological choices, popularity, pros, and cons for each step.
• Synthesis of studies applying quantitative tractography in various neurological and developmental contexts.

Main Results:

• Tractography enables quantitative analysis of brain structural connectivity.
• Two main analysis types: tract-specific and connectome-based.
• Applications span neurodevelopment, aging, neurological/mental disorders, and neurosurgery.

Conclusions:

• Significant advancements in dMRI tractography methodologies and applications exist.
• There is no established consensus on the optimal quantitative analysis methodology.
• Researchers must exercise caution when interpreting results in research and clinical settings.