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On the averaging of cardiac diffusion tensor MRI data: the effect of distance function selection.

Giannakidis, A; Melkus, G; Yang, G; Gullberg, GT (2016) On the averaging of cardiac diffusion tensor MRI data: the effect of distance function selection. Phys Med Biol, 61 (21). pp. 7765-7786. ISSN 1361-6560 https://doi.org/10.1088/0031-9155/61/21/7765
SGUL Authors: Yang, Guang

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Abstract

Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) allows a unique insight into the microstructure of highly-directional tissues. The selection of the most proper distance function for the space of diffusion tensors is crucial in enhancing the clinical application of this imaging modality. Both linear and nonlinear metrics have been proposed in the literature over the years. The debate on the most appropriate DT-MRI distance function is still ongoing. In this paper, we presented a framework to compare the Euclidean, affine-invariant Riemannian and log-Euclidean metrics using actual high-resolution DT-MRI rat heart data. We employed temporal averaging at the diffusion tensor level of three consecutive and identically-acquired DT-MRI datasets from each of five rat hearts as a means to rectify the background noise-induced loss of myocyte directional regularity. This procedure is applied here for the first time in the context of tensor distance function selection. When compared with previous studies that used a different concrete application to juxtapose the various DT-MRI distance functions, this work is unique in that it combined the following: (i) metrics were judged by quantitative-rather than qualitative-criteria, (ii) the comparison tools were non-biased, (iii) a longitudinal comparison operation was used on a same-voxel basis. The statistical analyses of the comparison showed that the three DT-MRI distance functions tend to provide equivalent results. Hence, we came to the conclusion that the tensor manifold for cardiac DT-MRI studies is a curved space of almost zero curvature. The signal to noise ratio dependence of the operations was investigated through simulations. Finally, the ’swelling effect’ occurrence following Euclidean averaging was found to be too unimportant to be worth consideration.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication/published in Physics in Medicine and Biology. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The Version of Record is available online at https://doi.org/10.1088/0031-9155/61/21/7765.
Keywords: Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging, 0299 Other Physical Sciences, 0903 Biomedical Engineering
SGUL Research Institute / Research Centre: Academic Structure > Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute (MCS)
Academic Structure > Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute (MCS) > Neuroscience (INCCNS)
Journal or Publication Title: Phys Med Biol
ISSN: 1361-6560
Language: eng
Dates:
DateEvent
7 November 2016Published
18 October 2016Published Online
21 September 2016Accepted
Publisher License: Publisher's own licence
URI: https://openaccess.sgul.ac.uk/id/eprint/108573
Publisher's version: https://doi.org/10.1088/0031-9155/61/21/7765

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