Inter-scanner and intra-scanner harmonization of DTI tractography analysis

Motivation: Harmonization of multi-shell 3T DTI is crucial to understand the inter-scan and intra-scan acquisition differences when comparing different DTI and tractography metrics and forms a primary key during data analysis and evaluation. Goal(s): Evaluating tract based inter-scan and intra-scan differences on multi-shell DTI data acquired on two different scanners Approach: A multi-shell DTI data was analyzed using tractography based approach and COV and ICC was calculated to study the variability and reproducibility of different DTI metrics. Results: : COV revealed higher reproducibility from inter-scan acquisition compared to intra-scan acquisition. ICC revealed better consistency with regional analysis compared to tractography analysis between the two scanners. Impact: This is the first study to compare DTI and tractography metrics between CIMA.X and VERIO visualizing the white matter architecture and connectivity pathways reconstructed by the q-space diffeomorphic reconstruction (QSDR) method using spin distribution function (SDF) in resolving the fibers.