What does diffusion tensor imaging detect?

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is a technique that detects how water travels along the white matter tracts in the brain (Fig. 2). White-matter tracts connect different parts of the brain and must be protected during surgery.

Is diffusion tensor imaging expensive?

Results: The total direct costs of DTI and MR tractography for a 1.5-T system with 15 encoding directions were US $97. Variable cost was $76.80 and fixed cost was $20.20.

Is diffusion tensor imaging invasive?

Using MRI technology, DTI tractography is non-invasive and uses radio waves and a magnetic field to produce images of the brain, tissues and skull.

How is DTI performed?

The analysis of water diffusion is performed by applying magnetic field gradients to generate an image that is sensitized to diffusion in a particular direction. In other words, the DTI technique involves the delivery of external magnetic pulses to impose a random phase shift for water molecules that diffuse.

Is Diffusion MRI the same as DTI?

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is an MRI technique that uses anisotropic diffusion to estimate the axonal (white matter) organization of the brain. Fiber tractography (FT) is a 3D reconstruction technique to assess neural tracts using data collected by diffusion tensor imaging.

What is the purpose of tractography?

Magnetic resonance diffusion tractography is a method for identifying white matter pathways in the living human brain. These pathways form the substrate for information transfer between remote brain regions and are therefore central to our understanding of function in both the normal and diseased brain.

How does diffusion tensor imaging ( DTI ) work?

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is a state-of-the art diagnostic tool which uses advanced MRI technology to detect traumatic brain injury not visible on conventional MRI, CT or other imaging modalities. DTI identifies diffuse axonal injury (DAI), which occurs primarily in the white matter tracts of the brain.

How is diffusion tensor imaging used to diagnose occult pathology?

Imaging brain anisotropy can yield useful information about white matter architecture and integrity and demonstrate occult pathology. With appropriately applied magnetic field gradients, MR images can be sensitized to diffusion, or the random motion of water molecules in the tissue.

How are FA values calculated in diffusion tensor imaging?

FA values are a numerical value, based on the anisotropy of water along the axon, which reflects the health of the axon. Abnormal FA values indicate axonal damage. FA values can be calculated utilizing the region of interest (ROI) method, whole-brain analysis (Voxel-Based analysis), or tract-based spatial statistics.

What are the different types of diffusion tensors?

Others include mean diffusivity or apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), radial (perpendicular) diffusivity, and axial (parallel) diffusivity.