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The effect of diffusion gradient direction number on corticospinal tractography in the human brain: an along-tract analysis

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Abstract

Objectives

We evaluated diffusion imaging measures of the corticospinal tract obtained with a probabilistic tractography algorithm applied to data of two acquisition protocols based on different numbers of diffusion gradient directions (NDGDs).

Materials and methods

The corticospinal tracts (CST) of 18 healthy subjects were delineated using 22 and 66-NDGD data. An along-tract analysis of diffusion metrics was performed to detect possible local differences due to NDGD.

Results

FA values at 22-NDGD showed an increase along the central portion of the CST. The mean of partial volume fraction of the orientation of the second fiber (f2) was higher at 66-NDGD bilaterally, because for 66-NDGD data the algorithm more readily detects dominant fiber directions beyond the first, thus the increase in FA at 22-NDGD is due to a substantially reduced detection of crossing fiber volume. However, the good spatial correlation between the tracts drawn at 22 and 66 NDGD shows that the extent of the tract can be successfully defined even at lower NDGD.

Conclusions

Given the spatial tract localization obtained even at 22-NDGD, local analysis of CST can be performed using a NDGD compatible with clinical protocols. The probabilistic approach was particularly powerful in evaluating crossing fibers when present.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Claudio Bianchini for technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Functional MR Unit, Policlinico S. Orsola - Malpighi, Via Massarenti 9, Bologna, Italy

    Claudia Testa, Stefania Evangelisti, Stefano Zanigni, Laura Ludovica Gramegna, Caterina Tonon, David Neil Manners & Raffaele Lodi

  2. Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Foscolo 7, Bologna, Italy

    Claudia Testa, Stefania Evangelisti, Stefano Zanigni, Laura Ludovica Gramegna, Caterina Tonon, David Neil Manners & Raffaele Lodi

  3. Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems@Unitn, Corso Bettini 31, Rovereto, Trento, Italy

    Mariagrazia Popeo

  4. Center for Mind and Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Corso Bettini 31, Rovereto, Trento, Italy

    Mariagrazia Popeo

  5. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 6/2, Bologna, Italy

    Paola Fantazzini

  6. Centro Enrico Fermi, Roma, Piazza del Viminale 1, Rome, Italy

    Paola Fantazzini

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  1. Claudia Testa
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Correspondence to Raffaele Lodi.

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Testa, C., Evangelisti, S., Popeo, M. et al. The effect of diffusion gradient direction number on corticospinal tractography in the human brain: an along-tract analysis. Magn Reson Mater Phy 30, 265–280 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-016-0600-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-016-0600-1

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