Diffusion tensor tractography of the human brain cortico-ponto-cerebellar pathways: a quantitative preliminary study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the utility of diffusion tensor tractography at 1mm slice thickness to map and quantify the whole trajectory of different cortico-ponto-cerebellar pathways of the healthy adult human brain.


METHODS
This work was approved by the local Institutional Review Board, and was Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant. Five healthy right-handed men (age range, 24-37 years) were studied and written informed consent was obtained. Diffusion tensor imaging data acquired with 1-mm slice thickness at a 3.0 Tesla (T) clinical MRI scanner were prepared and analyzed using tractography methods to reconstruct the cortico-ponto-cerebellar pathways which included the fronto-ponto-cerebellar, parieto-ponto-cerebellar, occipito-ponto-cerebellar, and temporo-ponto-cerebellar tracts.


RESULTS
We demonstrate the feasibility of tractographic mapping and quantification of the four cortico-ponto-cerebellar system components based on their cortical connections in the healthy human brain using DTI data with thin 1-mm sections.


CONCLUSIONS
In vivo quantification of different cortico-ponto-cerebellar pathways based on cortical connection is feasible, using 1-mm slices at 3.0T.
Kamali
Arash
A
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Kramer
Larry A
LA
Frye
Richard E
RE
Butler
Ian J
IJ
Hasan
Khader M
KM
D000328:Adult; D016880:Anisotropy; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology