Application of Diffusion Tensor Imaging Fiber Tractography for Human Masseter Muscle

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Neuroimaging
• Musculoskeletal Imaging

Background:

• Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) visualizes water diffusion along fibrous structures.
• Tractography of multipennate muscles like the masseter is challenging due to limited imaging parameter data.

Observation:

• Four DTI parameter settings (b-value, NEX, MPG directions) were tested on a healthy masseter muscle.
• Muscle fiber length and orientation were calculated for each parameter set.

Findings:

• Masseter muscle fibers were successfully identified using DTI.
• Imaging parameters significantly affected detected fiber length but not orientation.
• Optimal DTI parameters for masseter tractography can be determined.

Implications:

• DTI enables non-invasive assessment of masseter muscle fiber characteristics.
• Understanding masseter fiber orientation is crucial for stomatognathic biomechanics and diagnosing muscle disorders.