title: Global fiber reconstruction becomes practical.
abstract: Global fiber reconstruction aims at providing a consistent view of the fiber architecture in the whole volume of cerebral white matter on the basis of diffusion-sensitized magnetic resonance imaging. A new realization of this principle is presented. The method utilizes data acquired with high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI), a measurement method that fulfills clinical requirements. For the first time among global reconstruction methods, the computation time is acceptable for a broad class of practical applications. The method does not involve any boundary conditions that prescribe the location of the ends of reconstructed fibers. This helps to minimize necessary user interaction and operator dependence. Results obtained in a physical phantom demonstrate a high reconstruction quality. In vivo results have been obtained in several volunteers. The algorithm found a number of prominent fascicles including those in the limbic system, which had been problematic for a previously published version of global tracking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. marco.reisert@uniklinik-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reisert
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mader
authors.forename: Constantin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anastasopoulos
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weigel
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schnell
authors.forename: Valerij
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kiselev
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000166:cytology*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging