Full tensor registration of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging for assessment of cardiac pathologies

Excerpt

Cardiac fiber architecture can be characterized through DTI, resulting in a better understanding of the electrical and mechanical behavior of the heart. Structural remodeling of the myocardium may also be observed. Most cardiac DTI studies are performed ex-vivo and only recently have in-vivo measurements become possible. However, in-vivo imaging remains challenging due to signal attenuation from heart motion. Previous research to create a cardiac DTI atlas used registration of scalar images such as fractional anisotropy maps and anatomical MRIs. This study aims to register the DT images using an algorithm that relies on the full tensor information and tensor orientation to drive the registration in order to compare a population of normal hearts with a population of hearts with dyssynchronous heart failure. …