Considerations and recommendations from the ISMRM diffusion study group for preclinical diffusion MRI: Part 1: In...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Imaging
• Neuroscience
• Comparative Anatomy

Background:

• Small-animal diffusion MRI (dMRI) is crucial for methodological development, biological characterization, and comparative anatomy.
• Preclinical dMRI involves complex steps from setup to interpretation, influencing research outcomes.
• Lack of standardized best practices hinders rigor and reproducibility in small-animal dMRI studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present expert recommendations on best practices for preclinical in vivo small-animal dMRI.
• To guide researchers in experimental design, acquisition, and data processing for enhanced reproducibility.
• To promote responsible research by providing resources for publicly available datasets and software.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of community-derived best practices for preclinical dMRI.
• Discussion of species and disease model considerations for experimental design.
• Recommendations for in vivo acquisition protocols (hardware, preparation, sequences) and data processing (preprocessing, model-fitting, tractography).

Main Results:

• Detailed considerations and recommendations for designing and conducting small-animal dMRI experiments.
• Guidance on selecting appropriate animal models and optimizing imaging parameters.
• Identification of areas lacking guidelines, highlighting future research directions.

Conclusions:

• Adherence to recommended best practices will enhance the rigor and reproducibility of small-animal dMRI.
• Standardized protocols and accessible resources are vital for advancing biomedical knowledge using preclinical dMRI.
• This work serves as a foundational guide for researchers in the field, promoting consistent and reliable findings.