Deep learning-based diffusion tensor image generation model: a proof-of-concept study

This study created an image-to-image translation model that synthesizes diffusion tensor images (DTI) from conventional diffusion weighted images, and validated the similarities between the original and synthetic DTI. Thirty-two healthy volunteers were prospectively recruited. DTI and DWI were obtained with six and three directions of the motion probing gradient (MPG), respectively. The identical imaging plane was paired for the image-to-image translation model that synthesized one direction of the MPG from DWI. This process was repeated six times in the respective MPG directions. Regions of interest (ROIs) in the lentiform nucleus, thalamus, posterior limb of the internal capsule, posterior thalamic radiation, and splenium of the corpus callosum were created and applied to maps derived from the original and synthetic DTI. The mean values and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the original and synthetic maps for each ROI were compared. The Bland-Altman plot between the original and synthetic data was evaluated. Although the test dataset showed a larger standard deviation of all values and lower SNR in the synthetic data than in the original data, the Bland-Altman plots showed each plot localizing in a similar distribution. Synthetic DTI could be generated from conventional DWI with an image-to-image translation model.