Diffusion Tensor Imaging

This project is a functional lesion study together with the stroke unit (Department of Neurology) in Mainz and the University Sapienza/Roma in which signs and symptoms and neurophysiological alterations of acute brainstem infarctions were systematically correlated to the localization of the lesion. By transformation of the lesions into an atlas-based postprocessing program the variability of involvement of affected brain stem structures could be determined in several brainstem syndromes. This program now can be automated by application of the above-mentioned brainstem template.

Please contact:

  • Th. Bauermann (MR physicist)
  • A. Kronfeld (MR physicist)
  • A. Tropine, MD
  • G. Vucurevic (MR physicist)
  • C. Weibrich (IT specialist)

Special research projects in DTI

Template formation of brainstem and cerebellum from DTI data

Formation of template of brainstem and cerebellum by normalisation to the “best-fitting” image from a subject within a group and coregistration to the SUIT-template with preservation of eigen vector direction. The template serves as an anatomical basis for coregistration of lesions to brainstem structures as well as for quantitative fiber tracking including calculation of variability within a group.

Quantification of DTI parameters of cerebral white matter

  • in Alzheimer’s disease and Minimal Cognitive Impairment (MCI)
  • in chronic alcoholism
  • in ADHS
  • in Fabry’s disease
  • in Lupus erythematosus
  • before and after psychotherapy

Shift of function in Pre- or Postnatal Brain Lesions (brain plasticity)

  • Correlation of grey and white matter lesions with alterations of cerebral activation