title: Anisotropic Smoothing Improves DT-MRI-Based Muscle Fiber Tractography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of anisotropic smoothing on fiber tracking measures, including pennation angle, fiber tract length, and fiber tract number in the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle in healthy subjects using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI).
  
  
  METHODS
  3T DW-MRI data were used for muscle fiber tractography in the MG of healthy subjects. Anisotropic smoothing was applied at three levels (5%, 10%, 15%), and pennation angle, tract length, fiber tract number, fractional anisotropy, and principal eigenvector orientation were quantified for each smoothing level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fiber tract length increased with pre-fiber tracking smoothing, and local heterogeneities in fiber direction were reduced. However, pennation angle was not affected by smoothing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Modest anisotropic smoothing (10%) improved fiber-tracking results, while preserving structural features.
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America; Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America.
authors.forename: Amanda K W
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Buck
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America; Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America.
authors.forename: Zhaohua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America; Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America.
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Elder
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America; Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America.
authors.forename: Theodore F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Towse
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America; Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America.
authors.forename: Bruce M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Damon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016880:Anisotropy; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*