title: Group statistics of DTI fiber bundles using spatial functions of tensor measures.
abstract: We present a framework for hypothesis testing of differences between groups of DTI fiber tracts. An anatomical, tract-oriented coordinate system provides a basis for estimating the distribution of diffusion properties. The parametrization of sampled, smooth functions is normalized across a population using DTI atlas building. Functional data analysis, an extension of multivariate statistics to continuous functions is applied to the problem of hypothesis testing and discrimination. B-spline models of fractional anisotropy (FA) and Frobenius norm measures are analyzed jointly. Plots of the discrimination direction provide a clinical interpretation of the group differences. The methodology is tested on a pediatric study of subjects aged one and two years.
authors.affiliation: School of Computing, University of Utah, USA.
authors.forename: Casey B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Goodlett
authors.forename: P Thomas
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Gilmore
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gerig
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity