title: Minimization of imaging gradient effects in diffusion tensor imaging.
abstract: A new, sample independent optimization criterion for minimizing the effect of the imaging gradients, including the directional awareness they create, is defined for diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) experiments. The DTI linear algebraic framework is expanded to a normed space to design optimal diffusion gradient schemes (DGS) in an integral fashion without separating the magnitude and direction of the DGS vectors. The feasible space of DGS vectors, for which the estimation equations are determinate, thus a hard constraint for the optimization, is parametrized. Newly generated optimal DGSs demonstrate on an isotropic sample and an ex-vivo baboon brain that the optimization goals are reached as well as a significant increase in estimation performance.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical MR Laboratory, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in Saint Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. ozcan@zach.wustl.edu
authors.forename: Alpay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Özcan
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D016477:Artifacts; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D010215:Papio; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity