Merits and Limits of Tractography Techniques for the Uninitiated

Adv Tech Stand Neurosurg. 2016:(43):37-60. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-21359-0_2.

Abstract

The implementation of fiber tracking or tractography modules in commercial navigation systems resulted in a broad availability of visualization possibilities for major white matter tracts in the neurosurgical community. Unfortunately the implemented algorithms and tracking approaches do not represent the state of the art of tractography strategies and may lead to false tracking results. The application of advanced tractography techniques for neurosurgical procedures poses even additional challenges that relate to effects of the individual anatomy that might be altered by edema and tumor, to stereotactic inaccuracies due to image distortion, as well as to registration inaccuracies and brain shift.

Keywords: Diffusion modeling; Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging; Fiber tracking; Functional navigation; Major white matter tracts; Tractography.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Diffusion Tensor Imaging / methods*
  • Diffusion Tensor Imaging / standards*
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / standards
  • Multimodal Imaging / methods
  • Multimodal Imaging / standards
  • Neuronavigation / methods*
  • Neuronavigation / standards*
  • Neurosurgical Procedures / methods*
  • Neurosurgical Procedures / standards*
  • Reproducibility of Results