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Deterministic versus Probabilistic Tractography: Impact on White Matter Bundle Shape.
Yuhan Shuai1, Bramsh Qamar Chandio2, Yixue Feng1
1Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|September 2, 2025
Summary
Probabilistic tractography shows higher shape similarity for white matter bundles like the arcuate fasciculus, improving reproducibility. However, deterministic methods may better detect subtle pathological changes in neuroimaging research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Computational Neuroscience
- Medical Image Analysis
Background:
- Diffusion MRI tractography reconstructs white matter pathways using deterministic and probabilistic algorithms.
- The impact of these distinct tractography strategies on white matter bundle morphology is not well understood.
- The left arcuate fasciculus (AF_L) is crucial for language processing, connecting comprehension and production areas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the morphological consistency of deterministic versus probabilistic tractography for the left arcuate fasciculus (AF_L).
- To evaluate the impact of tractography methods on inter-subject shape similarity and reproducibility across diverse datasets.
- To assess the utility of bundle shape similarity analysis for quality control in neuroimaging studies.
Main Methods:
- Bundle shape similarity analysis was employed to compare deterministic and probabilistic tractography results.
- The left arcuate fasciculus (AF_L) was analyzed across four independent datasets: ADNI, HCP-A, NIMHANS, and PING.
- Atlas-based validation was used to corroborate shape similarity findings.
Main Results:
- Probabilistic tractography consistently demonstrated higher inter-subject shape similarity for the AF_L compared to deterministic methods.
- Probabilistic methods captured broader anatomical trajectories, leading to enhanced reproducibility across datasets.
- Bundle shape similarity analysis confirmed stronger alignment with probabilistic tracking, indicating its value for quantitative quality control.
Conclusions:
- Probabilistic tractography offers superior morphological consistency and reproducibility for white matter bundles like the AF_L.
- The extensive coverage of probabilistic methods might reduce sensitivity to subtle, clinically relevant pathological variations.
- Selecting tractography methods requires balancing morphological consistency with the need to detect neuroanatomical variations in research and clinical settings.
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