diffusietensorimaging

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is an advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that measures the diffusion of water molecules in biological tissues. This diffusion is not random but is preferentially oriented along the direction of white matter tracts in the brain. DTI exploits this directional diffusion to create detailed maps of the brain's white matter architecture. By applying magnetic field gradients in multiple directions, DTI quantifies the fractional anisotropy (FA), which is a measure of the degree of directional diffusion. Higher FA values indicate more organized and intact white matter tracts, while lower FA values suggest damage or disruption. Other parameters derived from DTI, such as mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD), provide further insights into the microstructural integrity of white matter. These metrics can help identify and characterize various neurological conditions, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and neurodegenerative diseases. DTI also enables tractography, a computational method that reconstructs the pathways of major white matter bundles, allowing for visualization of their connections and integrity.