Comparison of Automated Brain Volume Measures obtained with NeuroQuant and FreeSurfer.
OBJECTIVE
To examine intermethod reliabilities and differences between FreeSurfer and the FDA-cleared congener, NeuroQuant, both fully automated methods for structural brain MRI measurements.


METHODS
MRI scans from 20 normal control subjects, 20 Alzheimer's disease patients, and 20 mild traumatically brain-injured patients were analyzed with NeuroQuant and with FreeSurfer. Intermethod reliability was evaluated.


RESULTS
Pairwise correlation coefficients, intraclass correlation coefficients, and effect size differences were computed. NeuroQuant versus FreeSurfer measures showed excellent to good intermethod reliability for the 21 regions evaluated (r: .63 to .99/ICC: .62 to .99/ES: -.33 to 2.08) except for the pallidum (r/ICC/ES = .31/.29/-2.2) and cerebellar white matter (r/ICC/ES = .31/.31/.08). Volumes reported by NeuroQuant were generally larger than those reported by FreeSurfer with the whole brain parenchyma volume reported by NeuroQuant 6.50% larger than the volume reported by FreeSurfer. There was no systematic difference in results between the 3 subgroups.


CONCLUSIONS
NeuroQuant and FreeSurfer showed good to excellent intermethod reliability in volumetric measurements for all brain regions examined with the only exceptions being the pallidum and cerebellar white matter. This finding was robust for normal individuals, patients with Alzheimer's disease, and patients with mild traumatic brain injury.
Virginia Institute of Neuropsychiatry, Midlothian, VA.|Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.
Alfred L
AL
Ochs
Virginia Institute of Neuropsychiatry, Midlothian, VA.|Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.
David E
DE
Ross
Virginia Institute of Neuropsychiatry, Midlothian, VA.
Megan D
MD
Zannoni
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
Tracy J
TJ
Abildskov
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.|Department of Psychiatry and The Brain Institute of Utah, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
Erin D
ED
Bigler
D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012984:Software
Brain morphometry; freesurfer; neuroquant®; pallidum; reliability