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Voxel-based analysis of the diffusion tensor

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Abstract

Introduction

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has provided important insights into the neurobiological basis for normal development and aging and various disease processes in the central nervous system. The aim of this article is to review the current protocols for DTI acquisition and preprocessing and statistical testing for a voxelwise analysis of DTI, focused on statistical parametric mapping (SPM) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS).

Methods

We tested the effects of distortion correction induced by gradient nonlinearity on fractional anisotropy (FA) maps or FA skeletons processed via two SPM-based methods (coregistration and FA template methods), or TBSS-based method, respectively.

Results

With two SPM-based methods, we found similar results in some points (e.g., significant FA elevation for uncorrected images in anterior-dominant white matter and for corrected images in bilateral middle cerebellar peduncles) and different results in other points (e.g., significantly larger FA for corrected images with coregistration method, but significantly smaller with FA template method in bilateral internal capsules, extending to corona radiata, and semioval centers). In contrast, there was no area with significant difference between uncorrected and corrected FA skeletons with TBSS-based method.

Conclusion

The discrepancy among these results was not explained in full, but possible explanations were misregistration and smoothing for the SPM-based methods and insensitivity to FA changes outside the local centers of white matter bundles for TBSS-based method.

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Abbreviations

3D:

Three-dimensional

AD:

Axial diffusivity

DTI:

Diffusion tensor imaging

EPI:

Echo planar imaging

FA:

Fractional anisotropy

FSL:

FMRIB Software Library

FSPGR:

Fast spoiled-gradient recalled acquisition in the steady state

MD:

Mean diffusivity

NEX:

Number of excitation

RA:

Relative anisotropy

RD:

Radial diffusivity

ROI:

Region of interest

SPM:

Statistical parametric mapping

TBSS:

Tract-based spatial statistics

VR:

Volume ratio

VBM:

Voxel-based morphometry

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Conflict of interest statement

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan

    Osamu Abe, Hidemasa Takao, Wataru Gonoi, Hiroki Sasaki, Mizuho Murakami & Kuni Ohtomo

  2. MR Applied Science Laboratory Japan, GE Yokogawa Medical Systems, 4-7-127 Asahigaoka, Hino-shi, Tokyo, 191-8503, Japan

    Hiroyuki Kabasawa

  3. Molecular Imaging Center, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, 263-8555, Japan

    Hiroshi Kawaguchi

  4. Department of Radiological Technology, University of Tokyo Hospital, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan

    Masami Goto

  5. Department of Radiology, Chiba Medical Center, Teikyo University, 3426-3 Anegasaki, Ichihara-shi, Chiba, 299-0111, Japan

    Haruyasu Yamada

  6. Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan

    Hidenori Yamasue & Kiyoto Kasai

  7. Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan

    Shigeki Aoki

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  1. Osamu Abe
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  2. Hidemasa Takao
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  3. Wataru Gonoi
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  4. Hiroki Sasaki
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  5. Mizuho Murakami
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  6. Hiroyuki Kabasawa
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  8. Masami Goto
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  9. Haruyasu Yamada
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  10. Hidenori Yamasue
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Correspondence to Osamu Abe.

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Abe, O., Takao, H., Gonoi, W. et al. Voxel-based analysis of the diffusion tensor. Neuroradiology 52, 699–710 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-010-0716-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-010-0716-3

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