Primary study of the white matter fibers in human brain by using diffusion tensor imaging

Objective To display the three dimensional architecture of the white matter fibers in human brain by usingdiffusion tensor tractography, and to investigate the reliability of DTI by comparing with the Chinese visual human dataset.Methods Diffusion tensor imaging was performed with five volunteers, and the data were processed with DtiStudiosoftware to reconstruct the FA, 1-VR, RA, ADC and the color FA map. The reconstructed FA and color FA map werecompared with the sectional images of the Chinese visual human dataset, and the white matter fibers in brain werevisualized by using tractography software and 3D MRI software. Results The three dimensional architecture of whitematter fibers could be clearly visualized on diffusion tensor tractography, including association fibers as the arcuatefibers, the uncinate fascicules, the cingulum, the superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculi; the commissural fibers ascorpus callosum, anterior commissure and fornix; the projection fibers as the pyramidal tract, the visual radiation and themedial lemniscuses. The fibers displayed by diffusion tensor tractography were well consistent with the sectionalimages of the Chinese visual human dataset and the known anatomy. Conclusion The method is a reliable way forstudying the fiber connectivity in human brain.