Line Integral Convolution for Visualization of Fiber Tract Maps from DTI

Abstract. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can provide the fundamental information required for viewing structural connectivity. However, robust and accurate acquisition and processing algorithms are needed to accurately map the nerve connectivity. In this paper, we present a novel algorithm for extracting and visualizing the fiber tracts in the CNS specifically, the spinal cord. The automatic fiber tract mapping problem will be solved in two phases, namely a data smoothing phase and a fiber tract mapping phase. In the former, smoothing is achieved via a weighted TVnorm minimization which strives to smooth while retaining all relevant detail. For the fiber tract mapping, a smooth 3D vector field indicating the dominant anisotropic direction at each spatial location is computed from the smoothed data. Visualization of the fiber tracts is achieved by adapting a known Computer Graphics technique called the line integral convolution, which has the advantage of being able to cope with singula...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2002
• Where: MICCAI
• Authors: Tim McGraw, Baba C. Vemuri, Zhizhou Wang, Yunmei Chen, Murali Rao, Thomas Mareci
• Keywords: Automatic Fiber Tract, Fiber Tract Mapping, Medical Imaging, MICCAI 2002, Tract Mapping Phase