title: Automatic method for thalamus parcellation using multi-modal feature classification.
abstract: Segmentation and parcellation of the thalamus is an important step in providing volumetric assessment of the impact of disease n brain structures. Conventionally, segmentation is carried out on T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images and nuclear parcellation using diffusion weighted MR images. We present the first fully automatic method that incorporates both tissue contrasts and several derived fea-fractional anisotrophy, fiber orientation from the 5D Knutsson representation of the principal eigenvectors, and connectivity between the thalamus and the cortical lobes, as features. Combining these multiple information sources allows us to identify discriminating dimensions and thus parcellate the thalamic nuclei. A hierarchical random forest framework with a multidimensional feature per voxel, first distinguishes thalamus from background, and then separates each group of thalamic nuclei. Using a leave one out cross-validation on 12 subjects we have a mean Dice score of 0.805 and 0.799 for the left and right thalami, respectively. We also report overlap for the thalamic nuclear groups.
authors.forename: Joshua V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Stough
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Glaister
authors.forename: Chuyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Sarah H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.forename: Jerry L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Prince
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carass
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia / Q000473:pathology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology*