Title
Visualizing MR diffusion tensor fields by dynamic fiber tracking and uncertainty mapping
Abstract
Recent advances in magnetic resonance imaging have provided methods for the acquisition of high-resolution diffusion tensor fields. Their 3D-visualization with streamline-based techniques—called fiber tracking—allow analysis of cerebral white matter tracts for diagnostic, therapeutic as well as neuro-scientific purposes. The illusiveness of fiber visualizations and the inability to reliably visualize branching structures are problems still waiting for solutions. In this paper we present an on-the-fly approach to the tracking of branching and crossing fibers by dynamically setting secondary seeds in regions where branching is assumed, thus avoiding computationally intensive preprocessing steps. Moreover, we propose an uncertainty mapping technique that uses color-coding to enrich 3D fiber displays with information on their validity. Probability values for fiber samples are computed from dataset features as well as characteristics of the tracking process. In contrast to data optimization and pre-processing approaches, our algorithms focus on highly interactive visualization scenarios in collaborative environments.
Year
DOI
Venue
2006
10.1016/j.cag.2006.01.031
Computers & Graphics
Keywords
DocType
Volume
Fiber tracking,Streamlines,Neurosurgery planning,Magnetic resonance imaging,Collaborative environments in virtual reality
Journal
30
Issue
ISSN
Citations 
2
0097-8493
6
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.48
8
3
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Hans-Heino Ehricke1286.70
Uwe Klose2364.86
Wolfgang Grodd324333.35