Inter-subject coherence in DT-MRI

• US 7,268,551 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2004
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mclean Hospital (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mclean Hospital (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lange, Nicholas T.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHRIVASTAV, BRIJ B
• Application Number:
  US10/823,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 324300-322, 600410-445, 423300-322
• US Class Current: 324/318
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/56341 Diffusion imaging

Abstract

A method for estimating a value of a diffusion tensor includes obtaining, from a plurality of test subjects, DT-MRI data from which an initial estimate of the tensor can be derived. Values indicative of int-subject variation and inter-subject variation in the data are then determined. These values are used to determine a subject-specific additive offset for adjusting the DT-MRI data.

Claims

1. A system for estimating a value of a diffusion tensor, said system comprising:

an MRI machine;

a processor in data communication with the MRI machine;

a computer-readable medium in data communication with the processor, the computer-readable medium having encoded thereon software for estimating a value of a diffusion tensor, said software comprising instructions for;

obtaining, from a plurality of test subjects, DT-MRI data from which an initial estimate of the tensor can be derived;

determining a first value indicative of intra-subject variation in said data;

determining a second value indicative of inter-subject variation in said data; and

at least in part on the basis of said first and second values, determining a subject-specific additive offset for adjusting said DT-MRI data.

2. A method for estimating a value of a diffusion tensor, said method comprising:

obtaining, from a plurality of test subjects, DT-MRI data from which an initial estimate of the tensor can be derived;

determining a first value indicative of intra-subject variation in said data;

determining a second value indicative of inter-subject variation in said data; and

at least in part on the basis of said first and second values, determining a subject-specific additive offset for adjusting said DT-MRI data.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating adjusted data by adjusting said DT-MRI data by said offset.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising generating a bowtie plot from said adjusted data.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising selecting said DT-MRI data to represent an initial estimate of said diffusion tensor value.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising selecting said DT-MRI data to represent echo data from which an initial estimate of the diffusion tensor can be derived.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein determining a first value comprises determining an average intra-subject variance.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein determining a second value comprises determining an inter-subject variance.

9. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon software for estimating a value of a diffusion tensor, said software comprising instructions for:

obtaining, from a plurality of test subjects, DT-MRI data from which an initial estimate of the tensor can be derived;

determining a first value indicative of intra-subject variation in said data;

determining a second value indicative of inter-subject variation in said data; and

at least in part on the basis of said first and second values, determining a subject-specific additive offset for adjusting said DT-MRI data.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the software further comprises instructions for generating adjusted data by adjusting said DT-MRI data by said offset.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the software further comprises instructions for generating a bowtie plot from said adjusted data.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the software further comprises instructions for selecting said DT-MRI data to represent an initial estimate of said diffusion tensor value.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the software further comprises instructions for selecting said DT-MRI data to represent echo data from which an initial estimate of the diffusion tensor can be derived.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions for determining a first value comprise instructions for determining an average intra-subject variance.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions for determining a second value comprise instructions for determining an inter-subject variance.