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Diffusion tensor imaging of the brain
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  • Published: July 2007

Diffusion tensor imaging of the brain

  • Andrew L. Alexander1,2,5,
  • Jee Eun Lee1,2,
  • Mariana Lazar5,6 &
  • …
  • Aaron S. Field3,4 

Neurotherapeutics volume 4, pages 316–329 (2007)Cite this article

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Summary

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a promising method for characterizing microstructural changes or differences with neuropathology and treatment. The diffusion tensor may be used to characterize the magnitude, the degree of anisotropy, and the orientation of directional diffusion. This review addresses the biological mechanisms, acquisition, and analysis of DTI measurements. The relationships between DTI measures and white matter pathologic features (e.g., ischemia, myelination, axonal damage, inflammation, and edema) are summarized. Applications of DTI to tissue characterization in neurotherapeutic applications are reviewed. The interpretations of common DTI measures (mean diffusivity, MD; fractional anisotropy, FA; radial diffusivity, D r; and axial diffusivity, D a) are discussed. In particular, FA is highly sensitive to microstructural changes, but not very specific to the type of changes (e.g., radial or axial). To maximize the specificity and better characterize the tissue microstructure, future studies should use multiple diffusion tensor measures (e.g., MD and FA, or D a and D r).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53706, Madison, Wisconsin

    Andrew L. Alexander & Jee Eun Lee

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53706, Madison, Wisconsin

    Andrew L. Alexander & Jee Eun Lee

  3. Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53706, Madison, Wisconsin

    Aaron S. Field

  4. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53706, Madison, Wisconsin

    Aaron S. Field

  5. Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53706, Madison, Wisconsin

    Andrew L. Alexander & Mariana Lazar

  6. Center for Biomedical Imaging, Radiology Department, New York University School of Medicine, 10016, New York, New York

    Mariana Lazar

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Alexander, A.L., Lee, J.E., Lazar, M. et al. Diffusion tensor imaging of the brain. Neurotherapeutics 4, 316–329 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurt.2007.05.011

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  • Issue Date: July 2007

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurt.2007.05.011

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Key Words

  • Diffusion tensor imaging
  • white matter
  • diffusivity
  • MRI
  • brain
  • fractional anisotropy
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