Spatial normalization of the fiber orientation distribution based on high angular resolution diffusion imaging data

摘要

Comparison of high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) measurements between subjects or between time points for the same subject are facilitated by spatial normalization. In this work, an algorithm is developed to transform the fiber orientation distribution (FOD) function, based on HARDI data, taking into account not only translation, but also rotation, scaling, and shearing effects of the spatial transformation. The algorithm is tested using simulated data, and intra-subject and inter-subject normalization of in vivo human data. All cases demonstrate reliable transformation of the FOD. This technique makes it possible to compare the intra-voxel fiber distribution between subjects, between groups, or between time points for a single subject, which will be helpful in HARDI studies of white matter disease.