title: Potential and limitations of diffusion MRI tractography for the study of language.
abstract: Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a tremendously promising tool for imaging tissue microstructure, and for inferring large scale structural connectivity in vivo. However, the sensitivity of the technique is highly dependent on methodological details. Acquisition parameters, pre-processing steps, reconstruction models, and statistical analysis all affect the final sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of a study. In the case of fiber pathway reconstruction in the central nervous system, termed tractography, false positive and false negative results abound, and interpretation of results must take into account the potential shortcomings of the techniques used. This article will review the strengths and limitations of different types of diffusion MRI tractography analysis, and highlight what one can realistically hope to learn from such imaging studies of the human brain.
authors.affiliation: Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Electronic address: jcampbel@bic.mni.mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Jennifer S W
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.affiliation: Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: G Bruce
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Pike
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D063132:Connectome; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007802:Language; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D066127:White Matter / Q000033:anatomy & histology
keywords: Connectome; Diffusion MRI; Diffusion tensor imaging; Fiber tracking; Fiber tract; Language; Macaque; Segmentation; Tractography; Tractometry