White matter analysis using anomalous diffusion MRI

Tissue microstructure features, namely axon radius and volume fraction, provide important information on the function of white matter pathways. These parameters vary on the scale much smaller than imaging voxels (microscale) yet influence the MRI diffusion signal at the image voxel scale (macroscale) in an anomalous manner. Researchers have already mapped anomalous diffusion parameters from MRI data, but macroscopic variations have not been related to microscale influences. With the aid of a white matter tissue model (ActiveAx), we aimed to connect anomalous diffusion parameters to axon radius and volume fraction using diffusion-weighted MRI measurements, and also analyse the relationship between white matter tissue characteristics and parameters of existing statistical diffusion models.

Dr Qiang Yu is currently a Research Associate at the Queensland University of Technology Science and Engineering Faculty. Qiang's research involves numerical simulation, modelling and experiment studies relating to anomalous relaxation and diffusion in magnetic resonance imaging. He is currently working on the application of his mathematical models for fractional time and fractional space diffusion processes to real systems.

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