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Updated: Jul 15, 2026
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High-resolution In Vivo Manual Segmentation Protocol for Human Hippocampal Subfields Using 3T Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: November 10, 2015
High-Resolution Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging of Hippocampus Subfields Across the Healthy Lifespan
Pablo Stack-Sanchez1, Donald W Gross2, Ali R Khan3
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
NMR in Biomedicine
|July 13, 2026
Summary
Diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) reveals age-related changes in the hippocampus across the lifespan. This advanced technique offers new insights into brain development and aging, differing from traditional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Human Lifespan Studies
- Brain Microstructure Analysis
Background:
- Diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) is typically used for white matter but shows potential for studying gray matter, like the hippocampus.
- Understanding age-related microstructural changes in the hippocampus is crucial for insights into neurodevelopment and aging.
- Previous studies have primarily used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), necessitating exploration of advanced techniques like DKI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess neurodevelopment and aging changes in hippocampal subfields using 1 mm isotropic DKI across the healthy lifespan (5-90 years).
- To investigate sex differences and correlations with cognitive scores and demographics using DKI metrics.
- To compare DKI findings with traditional DTI metrics in the aging hippocampus.
Main Methods:
- Acquisition of multi-shell, 1 mm³ diffusion imaging focused on the hippocampus at 3T in 363 healthy participants (5-90 years).
- Automatic hippocampal subfield segmentation and unfolded maps using HippUnfold.
- Analysis of nonlinear lifespan trajectories, sex differences, and correlations for volume, MD, FA, MK, and KFA.
Main Results:
- Distinct age trajectories were observed for hippocampal volume, DTI, and DKI parameters, with unique patterns for MD, FA, and MK.
- Mean kurtosis (MK) showed a steep increase during development, plateauing after age 25, and exhibited sex differences (males > females).
- Subiculum showed higher MK post-age 20, with males exhibiting higher values; MK residuals correlated with BMI residuals.
Conclusions:
- High-resolution 1 mm isotropic DKI of the hippocampus reveals distinct linear and nonlinear patterns of development and aging from 5-90 years.
- DKI provides novel insights into age-related microstructural changes at the sub-hippocampal level, complementing DTI findings.
- These findings highlight the potential of DKI for detailed analysis of hippocampal aging and neurodevelopmental trajectories.
