Reorientation of fiber orientation distributions using apodized point spread functions

TY - JOUR

T1 - Reorientation of fiber orientation distributions using apodized point spread functions

AU - Raffelt, David

AU - Tournier, Jacques-Donald

AU - Crozier, Stuart

AU - Connelly, Alan

AU - Salvado, Olivier

PY - 2012/3

Y1 - 2012/3

N2 - Using high angular resolution diffusion-weighted images, spherical deconvolution enables multiple white matter fiber populations to be resolved within a single voxel by computing the fiber orientation distribution (FOD). Higher order information provided by FODs could improve several methods for investigating population differences in white matter, including image registration, voxel-based analysis, atlas-based segmentation and labeling, and group average fiber tractography. All of these methods require spatial normalization of FODs. In this article, a novel method to reorient the FOD is presented, which is an important step required for FOD spatial normalization. The proposed method was assessed using both qualitative and quantitative experiments, with numerical simulations and in vivo human data. Results demonstrate that the proposed method improves FOD reorientation accuracy, removes undesired artefacts, and decreases computation time compared to a previous approach. The utility of the proposed method is illustrated by nonlinear FOD spatial normalization of 10 human subjects. Accurate reorientation and normalization of FODs is a critical step toward investigating white matter tissue in the context of multiple fiber orientations.

AB - Using high angular resolution diffusion-weighted images, spherical deconvolution enables multiple white matter fiber populations to be resolved within a single voxel by computing the fiber orientation distribution (FOD). Higher order information provided by FODs could improve several methods for investigating population differences in white matter, including image registration, voxel-based analysis, atlas-based segmentation and labeling, and group average fiber tractography. All of these methods require spatial normalization of FODs. In this article, a novel method to reorient the FOD is presented, which is an important step required for FOD spatial normalization. The proposed method was assessed using both qualitative and quantitative experiments, with numerical simulations and in vivo human data. Results demonstrate that the proposed method improves FOD reorientation accuracy, removes undesired artefacts, and decreases computation time compared to a previous approach. The utility of the proposed method is illustrated by nonlinear FOD spatial normalization of 10 human subjects. Accurate reorientation and normalization of FODs is a critical step toward investigating white matter tissue in the context of multiple fiber orientations.

KW - fiber orientation distribution

KW - reorientation

KW - normalization

KW - diffusion MRI

KW - IN-DIFFUSION MRI

KW - SPHERICAL DECONVOLUTION

KW - REGISTRATION

KW - IMAGES

KW - BRAIN

U2 - 10.1002/mrm.23058

DO - 10.1002/mrm.23058

M3 - Article

SN - 0740-3194

VL - 67

SP - 844

EP - 855

JO - Magnetic Resonance in Medicine

JF - Magnetic Resonance in Medicine

IS - 3

ER -