High-Resolution Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) of the Brain
- pdf version of the abstract

Abstract
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a recently developed methodology that uses diffusion-weighted MRI to measure directional motion of water in living tissue. In certain organized tissue environments, e.g. white matter in the brain, motion of water can be highly anisotropic. By mapping out the 3-dimensional motion of water, certain features of the micro-architecture and integrity of the tissue can be investigated.

One of the biggest limitations of existing technology is the reliance on single shot MRI methodology. While insensitive to motion, single-shot techniques are inherently limited in spatial resolution. We have developed multi-shot radial DTI sequences that are insensitive to motion and allow experiments to be carried out with higher spatial resolution. Multishot techniques also allow for the possibility of using 3D imaging methods, thereby increasing signal-to-noise for high resolution. A description of our work in this area will be presented.