Diffusion spectrum imaging

November 24, 2008 4:10 AM

The Brain Unveiled: A new imaging method offers a spectacular view of neural structures.Diffusion spectrum imaging, developed by neuroscientist Van Wedeen at Massachusetts General Hospital, analyzes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data in new ways, letting scientists map the nerve fibers that carry information between cells.
posted by srboisvert (12 comments total)

login required. bugmenot works.
posted by srboisvert at 4:11 AM on November 24, 2008

login required.

The Brain Concealed.
posted by louche mustachio at 4:27 AM on November 24, 2008

Links to the abstract and paper in question.
posted by nosila at 6:18 AM on November 24, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Diffusion Tensor Imaging was covered in a spring 2006 Technology Review article, and this link does not require a login. You can see images DTI produces here.
posted by knile at 6:20 AM on November 24, 2008

Route around the login.
posted by twoleftfeet at 6:21 AM on November 24, 2008

knile, you screwed that up. Do you have the actual link?
posted by twoleftfeet at 6:25 AM on November 24, 2008

Maybe this? Diffusion Tensor Imaging - spring 2006 Technology Review. Not visually interesting though.

Stick with bugmenot or route around.
posted by twoleftfeet at 6:38 AM on November 24, 2008

That's the one. Sorry for the goofed link.
posted by knile at 7:33 AM on November 24, 2008

utterly, utterly elegant. Now if we could just ensure the Neurosurgeon hits the right spot.....
posted by Wilder at 8:29 AM on November 24, 2008

Paging dmd ... paging dmd.
posted by adipocere at 9:36 AM on November 24, 2008

The "route around" goes to an image gallery. The article has a bit more.
posted by Pronoiac at 10:34 AM on November 24, 2008

DTI isn't new, but there is still ongoing research in visualizing fiber bundles in the brain. If you search google for images relating to diffusion tensor imaging, you get lots of pictures from this kind of research.

The imaging is similar to MRI, except additional scans are used to determine directionality of a imaging element. This directionality can be used to guess at the functional connections of cells in the brain.
posted by demiurge at 11:31 AM on November 24, 2008