A Framework for Diffusion Fiber-based Analysis of T1w/T2w Ratio Map (2016)
Undergraduate: Haiwei Chen
Faculty Advisor: Martin Stydner
Department: Computer Science
Purpose: To develop, test, evaluate and apply a novel tool for the diffusion fiber-based analysis of T1w/T2w ratio maps. Background: The cerebral white matter in human brain develops from a mostly non-myelinated state to a nearly fully mature white matter myelination within the first few years of life. The study of mylienation is of interests in a number of brain development studies. High resolution T1w/T2w ratio image is believed to be effective in quantitatively estimating myelin content. Compared to study based on region of interest, Fiber-tract-based analysis of myelination via T1w/T2w ratio values is more flexible and scalable in analyzing large-range fibers and different fiber situations. This is important in the study of white matter since it is made up of large number of long range fibers. Methods: We developed a straightforward tool to facilitate fiber-based studies using T1w/T2w ratio images. Throughout the steps the framework provides GUI to provide accessibility for non-technical users. The framework uses calibrated T1w/T2w ratio maps and diffusion profile generated via the NA-MIC atlas-based fiber analysis toolkit as input. It registers the ratio to the fiber tract profile, optionally applied with deformation fields. The resulting fiber profile is used in statistical analysis that performs arclength parameterization to obtain T1w/T2w ratio profiles along the fiber tracts. Results: The tool needed by the framework has been developed.