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Abstract #3159

Microstructure-Informed Slow Diffusion Tractography in Humans Enhances Visualisation of Fibre Pathways

Farida Grinberg1, Ivan I. Maximov1, Ezequiel Farrher1, Nadim Jon Shah1, 2

1Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 4 - Medical Imaging Physics, Forschungszentrum Juelich, Juelich, Germany; 2Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, JARA, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany


Diffusion-based tractography is restricted by an uncertainty of determination of the diffusion directionality in the regions where fibre alignment anisotropy is low or fibre configuration is complex. In this work, we exploit the higher fractional anisotropy of the slow diffusion component which refers, in frame of the established models, to the restricted axonal water fraction. We show that advanced, model-based fibre tracking allows one to enhance reliability and visualisation of various fibre tracks, especially at the borders between white and grey matter. Potential benefits are discussed also in the context of combined functional and structural connectivity studies.