Deterministic and Probabilistic Q-Ball Tractography: from Diffusion to Sharp Fiber Distributions

We propose a deterministic and a probabilistic extension of classical diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography algorithms based on a sharp fi ber orientation distribution function (ODF) reconstruction from Q-Ball Imaging (QBI). An importa nt contribution of the paper is the integration of some of the latest state-of-the-art high ang ular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) data processing methods to obtain accurate and convincing r esults of complex fiber bundles with crossing, fanning and branching configurations. First, we d evelop a new deconvolution sharpening transformation from diffusion ODF (dODF) to fiber ODF (fODF) . We show that this sharpening transformation improves angular resolution and fiber detec tion of QBI and thus greatly improves tractography results. The angular resolution of QBI is in fa ct improved by approximately 20 ◦ and the fODF is shown to behave very similarly of the fiber orienta tion density (FOD) estimated from the spherical deconvolution method of Tournier et al. Anoth er major contribution of the paper is the extensive comparison study on human brain datasets of ou r new deterministic and probabilistic tracking algorithms. As an application, we show how the r econstruction of transcallosal fiber connections intersecting with the corona radiata and the su p rior longitudinal fasciculus can be improved with the fODF in a group of 8 subjects. Current DTI base d methods neglect these fibers, which might lead to wrong interpretations of the brain funct ions. Key-words: fiber tractography, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), high an gular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI), q-ball imaging (QBI), spherical deco nv lution (SD), orientation distribution function (ODF) ∗ Maxime.Descoteaux@sophia.inria.fr † Rachid.Deriche@sophia.inria.fr ‡ anwander@cbs.mpg.de. Max Planck Institute for Human Cogni tive and Brain Science, Leipzig, Germany Déconvolution Sphérique de l’ODF et Tractographie Déterministe et Probabiliste en Imagerie par Q-Ball Résumé : Nous proposons d’étendre les algorithmes de tractographie classiques développés sur les images de tenseur de diffusion (DTI) pour les appliquer à l’imagerie par Q-Ball (QBI). Une contribution importante de ce rapport est l’intégration de l’état de l’art des méthodes de traitement d’images de diffusion à haute résolution angulaire (HARDI) pour obtenir des réseaux complexes de l’architecture neuronale de la matière blanche comporta nt des croisements, des embranchements et des configurations en éventail. D’abord, nous développon s une nouvelle méthode de déconvolution sphérique pour transformer la fonction de distributio n de diffusion des orientations (dODF) en une fonction de distribution d’orientations des fibres (fOD F). Cette transformation de sharpening augmente la résolution angulaire d’environ 20 ◦ et facilite l’extraction des maxima de l’ODF. Par conséquent les résultats de tractographie sur les fODFs son t plus complets et de meilleure qualité. Ensuite, nous démontrons que la fODF et la distribution obte nue par déconvolution sphérique classique de Tournier et al se comportent de la même manière sur de simulations de données HARDI. Enfin, une autre contribution importante du rapport est l’ét ude poussée et la comparaison des algorithmes de tractographie déterministes et probabilistes s ur des données HARDI réelles à partir du DTI, de la dODF et de la fODF. Nous montrons une application in téressante sur le corps calleux et la reconstruction des fibres transcallosales. Ces fibres son t normalement complétement ignorées par les techniques de tractographie en DTI car elles croisent le faisceau supérieur longitudinal ainsi que la couronne rayonnante. Notre tractographie en QBI basée su r la fODF nous permet de retrouver ces fibres transcallosales sur une base de données de 8 sujets , ce qui nous permet une connaissance anatomique plus fine de ces parties du cerveau. Mots-clés : Tractographie, imagerie du tenseur de diffusion (DTI), ima gerie de diffusion à haute résolution angulaire (HARDI), imagerie par Q-ball (QBI), f unction de distribution des orientations (ODF), déconvolution sphérique Q-Ball Imaging Tractography 3

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