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IMPROVED CHARACTERIZATION OF WHITE MATTER FIBER BUNDLES USING DIFFUSION MRI

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) has become the primary imaging modality for non-invasive characterization of the microstructure of living tissues, particularly of human white matter. Despite its success in various research areas and clinical applications, DTI is unable to describe adequately non-Gaussian diffusion. Fiber ORientation Estimated using Continuous Axially Symmetric Tensors (FORECAST), a new approach to High Angular Resolution Diffusion (HARD) analysis, is able to provide reliable estimates of the fiber radial diffusivity and orientation distribution within each voxel. In this study, several techniques were developed to enhance the FORECAST models reproducibility. The models dependence on various imaging parameters and analysis parameters was tested by Monte Carlo simulation. The optimal parameters for FORECAST analysis was determined based on the simulation results, and verified by in vivo human data.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:VANDERBILT/oai:VANDERBILTETD:etd-12012006-131020
Date11 December 2006
CreatorsHong, Xin
ContributorsAdam W. Anderson, Mark D. Does
PublisherVANDERBILT
Source SetsVanderbilt University Theses
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
Sourcehttp://etd.library.vanderbilt.edu/available/etd-12012006-131020/
Rightsunrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to Vanderbilt University or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report.

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