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A geometric analysis of diffusion tensor measurements of the human brain

  1. Andrew L. Alexander1,*,
  2. Khader Hasan2,
  3. Gordon Kindlmann3,
  4. Dennis L. Parker1,
  5. Jay S. Tsuruda1

Article first published online: 25 JUL 2000

DOI: 10.1002/1522-2594(200008)44:2<283::AID-MRM16>3.0.CO;2-V

Issue

Magnetic Resonance in Medicine

Magnetic Resonance in Medicine

Volume 44, Issue 2, pages 283–291, August 2000

Additional Information

How to Cite

Alexander, A. L., Hasan, K., Kindlmann, G., Parker, D. L. and Tsuruda, J. S. (2000), A geometric analysis of diffusion tensor measurements of the human brain. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 44: 283–291. doi: 10.1002/1522-2594(200008)44:2<283::AID-MRM16>3.0.CO;2-V

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Radiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

  2. 2

    Department of Physics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

  3. 3

    Department of Computer Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

*MIRL, Center for Advanced Medical Technologies, 729 Arapeen Drive, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108-1218

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 25 JUL 2000
  2. Article first published online: 25 JUL 2000
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 24 MAR 2000
  4. Manuscript Revised: 4 FEB 2000
  5. Manuscript Received: 27 OCT 1999

Funded by

  • NIH. Grant Number: P30 CA42014
  • GE Medical Systems; NSF

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Keywords:

  • diffusion tensor;
  • anisotropy;
  • white matter;
  • human brain

Abstract

The degree of diffusion tensor anisotropy is often associated with the organization of structural tissues such as white matter. Numerous measures of diffusion anisotropy have been proposed, which could lead to confusion in interpreting and comparing results from different studies. In this study, a new method for representing the diffusion tensor shape, called the three-phase (3P) plot, is described. This is a graphical technique based upon a barycentric coordinate system, which weights the tensor shape by a combination of linear, cylindrical, and spherical shape factors. This coordinate system can be used to map and potentially segment different tissues based upon the tensor shape. In addition, the 3P plot can be used to examine the shape properties of existing measures of diffusion anisotropy. In this paper, the 3P plot is used to compare four well-known anisotropy measures: the anisotropy index, the fractional anisotropy, the relative anisotropy, and the volume fraction. Computer simulations and diffusion tensor images of normal brains were obtained to study the properties of this new mapping technique. Magn Reson Med 44:283–291, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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