title: Segmenting thalamic nuclei: what can we gain from HARdI?
abstract: The contrast provided by diffusion MRI has been exploited repeatedly for in vivo segmentations of thalamic nuclei. This paper systematically investigates the benefits of high-angular resolution (HARDI) data for this purpose. An empirical analysis of clustering stability reveals a clear advantage of acquiring HARDI data at b = 1000 s/mm2. However, based on stability arguments, as well as further visual and statistical evidence and theoretical insights about the impact of parameters, HARDI models such as the q-ball do not exhibit clear benefits over the standard diffusion tensor for thalamus segmentation at this b value.
authors: Computation Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago IL, USA.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Schultz
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003196:Computer Graphics; D003198:Computer Simulation; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D015233:Models, Statistical; D012984:Software; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei / Q000473:pathology*