Hi All, Due to some miscommunication between the speaker and I the talk now is postponed to the later time in the semester. Sorry, Jyh-Ming Jyh-Ming Lien wrote: > > *GRAND Seminar* 12:00 noon, January 26, Tuesday, 2010, ENGR 4201 > > Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DT-MRI) --- Robust > Diffusion Tensor Estimation by Outlier Rejection > > > *Speaker* > > Lin-Ching Chang, > Assistant Professor > Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science > The Catholic University of America > > *Abstract* > > Overview > > The presentation will begin by talking about the background > and basic concepts underlying diffusion tensor magnetic resonance > imaging (DT-MRI). Having explained the basic principle, we will then > consider how the diffusion tensor is actually estimated from data, > what quantitative parameters can be extracted from the tensor, and how > the tensor derived quantities can be used in clinical research and > applications. The NIH pediatric neuroimaging project > (http://www.bic.mni.mcgill.ca/nihpd/info/index.html) will be used as > an example to demonstrate how DTI can be used to study normal human > brain development. The presentation will pose several problems in DTI > processing and analysis, particularly how the artifacts can affect the > tensor estimation. Enlightened solutions will be also presented in > detail when dealing with artifacts in DTI. > > Details > > In addition to routine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, > diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a well-established noninvasive > method. DT-MRI is increasingly used in clinical research and > applications for its ability to depict white matter tracts and for its > sensitivity to microstructural orientation and architectural features > of brain tissue in vivo. Despite its increasing prevalent clinical > use, DT-MRI suffers from generally poor image quality compared to > other established structural MRI acquisition. > > Diffusion tensor maps are typically computed by fitting the signal > intensities from diffusion weighted images (DWI) to the multivariate > least-squares regression model proposed by Basser et al (1). The > least-squares regression model takes into account the signal > variability produced by thermal noise, however, signal variability in > diffusion weighted imaging is influenced not only by thermal noise but > also by spatially and temporally varying artifacts. Such artifacts > originate from the so called “physiologic noise” such as subject > motion and cardiac pulsation, as well as from acquisition-related > factors such as system instabilities. In this presentation, the > effects of DWI artifacts on estimated tensor values are analyzed using > Monte Carlo simulations. A novel approach for robust diffusion tensor > estimation, called RESTORE (2, 3), will be discussed. > > > References > > 1. Basser PJ, Mattiello J, LeBihan D. Estimation of the > effective selfdiffusion tensor from the NMR spin echo. J Magn Reson B > 1994;103:247–254. > (http://dir2.nichd.nih.gov/nichd/stbb/Basser_estimation.pdf) > > 2. Chang, LC, Jones, DK, and Pierpaoli, C. (2005) RESTORE: Robust > estimation of tensors by outlier rejection. Magn Reson Med. > 53:1088-1095. > (http://dir2.nichd.nih.gov/nichd/stbb/restore_rob_est05.pdf) > > 3. Chang, L.-C., Walker, L., and Pierpaoli, C. (2009) , Making the > Robust Tensor Estimation Approach: "RESTORE" more Robust. In > Proceeding ISMRM 17th Ann. Mtg: p. 5707. > (http://stbb.nichd.nih.gov/pdf/Restore%2003558.pdf) > > *Short Bio* > > Dr. Lin-Ching Chang is an assistant professor of electrical > engineering and computer science at the Catholic University of > America, Washington DC, USA. Her research over the past six years has > persistently emphasized in the area of magnetic resonance imaging > (MRI) processing and analysis. During her career at the National > Institutes of Health (NIH), she was working on quantitative image > analysis of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) data > for human brain development. Prior to joining the NIH, Dr. Chang has > worked at 3Com Corporation, where she joined and led a number of > commercial software projects in telecommunication. Her research > interests include software development in medical image analysis, > pattern recognition, combinatorial design, information retrial, and > telecommunication applications. > > > -- *Jyh-Ming Lien* Assistant Professor, George Mason University +1-703-993-9546 http://cs.gmu.edu/~jmlien