Cited by 1,088Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and ApplicationsFunctional Brain Connectivity StudiesAdvanced MRI Techniques and Applications

Investigating the prevalence of complex fiber configurations in white matter tissue with diffusion magnetic resonance imaging

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Jeurissen, Ben, Leemans, Alexander, Tournier, Jacques‐Donald, Jones, Derek K., Sijbers, Jan·2013·Human Brain Mapping

Abstract

It has long been recognized that the diffusion tensor model is inappropriate to characterize complex fiber architecture, causing tensor-derived measures such as the primary eigenvector and fractional anisotropy to be unreliable or misleading in these regions. There is however still debate about the impact of this problem in practice. A recent study using a Bayesian automatic relevance detection (ARD) multicompartment model suggested that a third of white matter (WM) voxels contain crossing fibers, a value that, whilst already significant, is likely to be an underestimate. The aim of this study is to provide more robust estimates of the proportion of affected voxels, the number of fiber orientations within each WM voxel, and the impact on tensor-derived analyses, using large, high-quality diffusion-weighted data sets, with reconstruction parameters optimized specifically for this task. Two reconstruction algorithms were used: constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD), and the ARD method used in the previous study. We estimate the proportion of WM voxels containing crossing fibers to be ~90% (using CSD) and 63% (using ARD). Both these values are much higher than previously reported, strongly suggesting that the diffusion tensor model is inadequate in the vast majority of WM regions. This has serious implications for downstream processing applications that depend on this model, particularly tractography, and the interpretation of anisotropy and radial/axial diffusivity measures.

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Crossref · 10.1002/hbm.22099

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  • The majority of white matter voxels are characterized by extensive crossing, kissing, bending or fanning of fibers.

    “The majority of white matter voxels are characterized by extensive crossing, kissing, bending or fanning of fibers [11].”

    From Differentiating axonal loss and demyelination in chronic MS lesions: A novel approach using single streamline diffusivity analysis (2021) · cites this paper as [11]

    The In Vivo Estimation of Fiber Orientations section reports multiple orientations in about 90% of white-matter voxels using CSD and complex configurations in 63% using bedpostx, supporting the claim that a majority have complex fiber organization. The paper discusses bending and fanning, but these measurements do not establish how many voxels have each listed configuration, including kissing fibers, or that the configurations are extensive. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Even in regions with crossing fibers, many observed differences or changes in FA, AD and/or RD are likely to reflect actual anatomical and biophysical phenomena, as long as other pitfalls in acquisition and analysis have been avoided.

    “as pointed out by Jeurissen et al. (2013), even regions with crossing fibers, many observed differences/changes in FA, AD and/or RD are likely to reflect actual anatomical and biophysical phenomena, as long as other pitfalls in the acquisition and analysis have been avoided (Jones and Cercignani, 2010).”

    From Potential Pitfalls of Using Fractional Anisotropy, Axial Diffusivity, and Radial Diffusivity as Biomarkers of Cerebral White Matter Microstructure (2022) · cites this paper as Jeurissen et al., 2013

    In “Implications for DTI” (page not provided), the paper says that, if known analysis pitfalls are avoided, an observed FA change is highly likely to reflect a true underlying biophysical phenomenon—even though its meaning is ambiguous in crossing-fiber regions. It discusses axial and radial diffusivity as similarly difficult to interpret, but does not explicitly extend that likelihood statement to changes in AD or RD. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The behaviour of DTI indices in the human brain, which is characterized by a high density of crossing fibre that influence DTI measures, is only partially understood and remains speculative.

    “We caution that the behaviour of the DTI indices in the human brain, which is characterized by a high density of crossing fibre that influence DTI measures (Jeurissen et al., 2013), is only partially understood and remains speculative (Jones et al., 2013).”
  • At standard spatial resolutions around a few mm, multiple fiber orientations affect the diffusivity patterns in up to 90% of white matter voxels in the human brain.

    “At standard spatial resolutions around a few mm, multiple fiber orientations affect the diffusivity patterns in up to 90% of white matter voxels in the human brain (Jeurissen et al. 2013).”
  • The proportion of cerebral white matter voxels containing complex fiber geometries and/or multiple fiber bundles in different orientations is more likely between 60 and 90%.

    “and is more likely somewhere between 60 and 90% (Jeurissen et al., 2013)”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Pierpaoli C, Marenco S, Rohde G, Jones DK, Barnett AS (2003): Analyzing the contribution of cardiac pulsation to the variability of quantities derived from the diffusion tensor. Proceedings of the 11th Scientific Meeting, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Toronto, Canada. p 70.

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Authors
Jeurissen, B., Leemans, A., Tournier, J., Jones, D. K., & Sijbers, J.
Affiliations
  • University of Antwerp (BE)
  • University Medical Center Utrecht (NL)
  • Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health (AU)
  • Cardiff University (GB)
Venue
Human Brain Mapping
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2012-05-19
Volume
34
Issue
11
Pages
2747-2766
ISSN
  • 1065-9471 (ISSN-L)
  • 1097-0193
OpenAlex
W2137679584
Cited by
1,088
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 70 · 2025: 82 · 2024: 83 · 2023: 93 · 2022: 92 · 2021: 111 · 2020: 81 · 2019: 76 · 2018: 69 · 2017: 80 · 2016: 63 · 2015: 78 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 55 · 2012: 14
FWCI
45.17
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Human Brain Mapping (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (096646, 096646/Z/11/Z)
  • State Government of Victoria
  • National Health and Medical Research Council
  • National Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced MRI Techniques and Applications
Keywords
crossing fibers, white matter microstructure, diffusion MRI, constrained spherical deconvolution, multi-compartment model, fiber orientation distribution, tractography, fractional anisotropy
MeSH terms
Adult, Algorithms, Brain, Brain Mapping, Data Interpretation, Statistical, False Positive Reactions, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Nerve Fibers, Reproducibility of Results, Anisotropy, Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials, Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Signal-To-Noise Ratio

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