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Investigating the tradeoffs between spatial resolution and diffusion sampling for brain mapping with diffusion tractography: time well spent?

Publication ,  Journal Article
Calabrese, E; Badea, A; Coe, CL; Lubach, GR; Styner, MA; Johnson, GA
Published in: Hum Brain Mapp
November 2014

Interest in mapping white matter pathways in the brain has peaked with the recognition that altered brain connectivity may contribute to a variety of neurologic and psychiatric diseases. Diffusion tractography has emerged as a popular method for postmortem brain mapping initiatives, including the ex-vivo component of the human connectome project, yet it remains unclear to what extent computer-generated tracks fully reflect the actual underlying anatomy. Of particular concern is the fact that diffusion tractography results vary widely depending on the choice of acquisition protocol. The two major acquisition variables that consume scan time, spatial resolution, and diffusion sampling, can each have profound effects on the resulting tractography. In this analysis, we determined the effects of the temporal tradeoff between spatial resolution and diffusion sampling on tractography in the ex-vivo rhesus macaque brain, a close primate model for the human brain. We used the wealth of autoradiography-based connectivity data available for the rhesus macaque brain to assess the anatomic accuracy of six time-matched diffusion acquisition protocols with varying balance between spatial and diffusion sampling. We show that tractography results vary greatly, even when the subject and the total acquisition time are held constant. Further, we found that focusing on either spatial resolution or diffusion sampling at the expense of the other is counterproductive. A balanced consideration of both sampling domains produces the most anatomically accurate and consistent results.

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Published In

Hum Brain Mapp

DOI

EISSN

1097-0193

Publication Date

November 2014

Volume

35

Issue

11

Start / End Page

5667 / 5685

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • White Matter
  • Neural Pathways
  • Models, Neurological
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Experimental Psychology
  • Diffusion Tensor Imaging
  • Computer Simulation
  • Brain Mapping
  • Brain
 

Citation

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Calabrese, E., Badea, A., Coe, C. L., Lubach, G. R., Styner, M. A., & Johnson, G. A. (2014). Investigating the tradeoffs between spatial resolution and diffusion sampling for brain mapping with diffusion tractography: time well spent? Hum Brain Mapp, 35(11), 5667–5685. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.22578
Calabrese, Evan, Alexandra Badea, Christopher L. Coe, Gabriele R. Lubach, Martin A. Styner, and G Allan Johnson. “Investigating the tradeoffs between spatial resolution and diffusion sampling for brain mapping with diffusion tractography: time well spent?Hum Brain Mapp 35, no. 11 (November 2014): 5667–85. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.22578.
Calabrese E, Badea A, Coe CL, Lubach GR, Styner MA, Johnson GA. Investigating the tradeoffs between spatial resolution and diffusion sampling for brain mapping with diffusion tractography: time well spent? Hum Brain Mapp. 2014 Nov;35(11):5667–85.
Calabrese, Evan, et al. “Investigating the tradeoffs between spatial resolution and diffusion sampling for brain mapping with diffusion tractography: time well spent?Hum Brain Mapp, vol. 35, no. 11, Nov. 2014, pp. 5667–85. Pubmed, doi:10.1002/hbm.22578.
Calabrese E, Badea A, Coe CL, Lubach GR, Styner MA, Johnson GA. Investigating the tradeoffs between spatial resolution and diffusion sampling for brain mapping with diffusion tractography: time well spent? Hum Brain Mapp. 2014 Nov;35(11):5667–5685.
Journal cover image

Published In

Hum Brain Mapp

DOI

EISSN

1097-0193

Publication Date

November 2014

Volume

35

Issue

11

Start / End Page

5667 / 5685

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • White Matter
  • Neural Pathways
  • Models, Neurological
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Experimental Psychology
  • Diffusion Tensor Imaging
  • Computer Simulation
  • Brain Mapping
  • Brain