A cross-sectional piecewise constant model for segmenting highly curved fiber tracts in diffusion MR images

Abstract

We propose a cross-sectional piecewise constant model for the segmentation of highly curved fiber tracts in diffusion MRI scans. An "anchor curve", obtained via tractography, provides the overall shape of the tract and allows us to examine the tract's microstructure at the level of cross-sectional planes normal to the curve. Each cross-section is modeled as a piecewise constant image, allowing us to address changes in measured diffusion due to the curving of the tract while still capturing overall tract structure. Results on both synthetic and real data show improved segmentation quality compared to state-of-the-art methods, particularly in areas of crossing fibers. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.