Abstract #4491

Quantifying White Matter: Integrating Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Bound Pool Fractions

Nikola Stikov¹, Lee Michael Perry², John Mark Pauly¹, Brian A. Wandell², Robert F. Dougherty²

¹Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; ²Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

We explore combining two quantitative MR contrast mechanisms in order to better understand the structure of white matter in the brain. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can identify white matter fascicles and measure their diffusivity. The bound pool fraction (BPF) estimates the proportion of protons bound to macromolecules, such as myelin. We combine these two in order to obtain concurrent information about the direction, diffusivity, and myelin content of white matter tracts in the corpus callosum and the optic radiation. We conclude that DTI and BPF are complementary techniques that combine to provide a more complete insight into tissue microstructure.