Abstract: Disclosed are a system, method, and computer program product for generating pruned tractograms of neural fiber bundles. The method includes receiving scan data produced by diffusion imaging of at least a portion of a brain from a magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) device. The method also includes generating an initial tractogram by mapping neuronal fiber pathways of a target fiber bundle of the scan data. The method further includes generating a density map using a set of tracts from the initial tractogram, identifying each tract that passes through a segment of the density map more than once, and setting a contribution of said tract to a unique tract count of the segment equal to a threshold pruning value. The method further includes generating a pruned tractogram by identifying a segment having a unique tract count less than or equal to the threshold pruning value and excluding the segment from the pruned tractogram.

Abstract: Described are a system, method, and computer program product for detecting neurodegeneration using differential tractography and treating neurological disorders accordingly. The method includes obtaining a first diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain of the patient and obtaining a plurality of diffusion MRI scans of a group of other brains. The method also includes generating a control diffusion MRI scan based on the plurality of diffusion MRI scans of the group of other brains. The method further includes determining a first anisotropy of first neural tracks of the first diffusion MRI scan and a second anisotropy of second neural tracks of the control diffusion MRI scan. The method further includes determining a differential by comparing the first anisotropy to the second anisotropy and identifying at least one neurological disorder based on the differential and a location of the first neural tracks in the brain of the patient.

Abstract: Described are a system, method, and computer program product for detecting neurodegeneration using differential tractography and treating neurological disorders accordingly. The method includes obtaining a first diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain of the patient and obtaining a plurality of diffusion MRI scans of a group of other brains. The method also includes generating a control diffusion MRI scan based on the plurality of diffusion MRI scans of the group of other brains. The method further includes determining a first anisotropy of first neural tracks of the first diffusion MRI scan and a second anisotropy of second neural tracks of the control diffusion MRI scan. The method further includes determining a differential by comparing the first anisotropy to the second anisotropy and identifying at least one neurological disorder based on the differential and a location of the first neural tracks in the brain of the patient.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system, method, and computer program product for generating pruned tractograms of neural fiber bundles. The method includes receiving scan data produced by diffusion imaging of at least a portion of a brain from a magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) device. The method also includes generating an initial tractogram by mapping neuronal fiber pathways of a target fiber bundle of the scan data. The method further includes generating a density map using a set of tracts from the initial tractogram, identifying each tract that passes through a segment of the density map more than once, and setting a contribution of said tract to a unique tract count of the segment equal to a threshold pruning value. The method further includes generating a pruned tractogram by identifying a segment having a unique tract count less than or equal to the threshold pruning value and excluding the segment from the pruned tractogram.

Abstract: A voxel-based transformation method includes: a) obtaining a MRI dataset in a subject space associated with subject voxel coordinates, subject sampling directions, and subject voxel spin amounts, and a dataset of a co-registration template associated with template voxel coordinates, each subject voxel coordinate corresponding to a template voxel coordinate according to a mapping function; b) through an inverse of the mapping function, obtaining subject voxel coordinates and a Jacobian matrix; and c) obtaining template voxel spin amounts, each being a function of a template sampling direction and a template voxel coordinate, using the Jacobian matrix and image data.

Abstract: A method is adapted for providing microstructural information of a biological target from a plurality of diffusion weighted MR images corresponding to a specific area of the biological target. Each of the diffusion weighted MR images is obtained using a respective q-space sampling vector and is sampled at a plurality of sample points thereof to obtain a group of diffusion weighted MR image data. The diffusion weighted MR image data are processed to obtain a spin distribution function from which the microstructural information of the biological target can be obtained.

Abstract: A voxel-based transformation method includes: a) obtaining a MRI dataset in a subject space associated with subject voxel coordinates, subject sampling directions, and subject voxel spin amounts, and a dataset of a co-registration template associated with template voxel coordinates, each subject voxel coordinate corresponding to a template voxel coordinate according to a mapping function; b) through an inverse of the mapping function, obtaining subject voxel coordinates and a Jacobian matrix; and c) obtaining template voxel spin amounts, each being a function of a template sampling direction and a template voxel coordinate, using the Jacobian matrix and image data.

Abstract: A method of analyzing a diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance image is adapted to analyze an orientation distribution function ?0 of nerve fibers at a vector in space. The method includes the following steps: (A) finding an orientation {circumflex over (?)}a with the largest probability in the ODF ?0; (B) maximizing a single fiber ODF ??; (C) analyzing the maximized single fiber ODF ?? to obtain quantitative information; (D) deducting the maximized single fiber ODF ?? obtained in step (B) from the entire ODF ?0; and (E) stopping computation if the result obtained in step (D) is determined to be smaller than a predetermined value, and repeating steps (A), (B), (C), and (D) if otherwise.

Abstract: A method is adapted for providing microstructural information of a biological target from a plurality of diffusion weighted MR images corresponding to a specific area of the biological target. Each of the diffusion weighted MR images is obtained using a respective q-space sampling vector and is sampled at a plurality of sample points thereof to obtain a group of diffusion weighted MR image data. The diffusion weighted MR image data are processed to obtain a spin distribution function from which the microstructural information of the biological target can be obtained.

Abstract: A method of analyzing a diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance image is adapted to analyze an orientation distribution function ?0 of nerve fibers at a vector in space. The method includes the following steps: (A) finding an orientation {circumflex over (?)}a with the largest probability in the ODF ?0; (B) maximizing a single fiber ODF ??; (C) analyzing the maximized single fiber ODF ?? to obtain quantitative information; (D) deducting the maximized single fiber ODF ?? obtained in step (B) from the entire ODF ?0; and (E) stopping computation if the result obtained in step (D) is determined to be smaller than a predetermined value, and repeating steps (A), (B), (C), and (D) if otherwise.