Keywords: Neuro: Brain connectivity, Neuro: White matter, Contrast mechanisms: Diffusion
Myelinated axons enable fast and energy-efficient signal transmission. However, axons can have micron-level diameter and multiple centimeters length, so axon trajectories are hard to follow.
Multiple modalities can reveal axon paths, typically by providing axonal orientations followed by tractography algorithms. Each technology has limitations preventing it from being considered a “gold standard”.
Diffusion MRI (dMRI) provides beautiful tractograms, however its readouts are not specific to myelinated axons, and need validation.
This talk will present the 2D and 3D methods used to image axonal orientations and trajectories, and review results from each method as well as past and ongoing validation efforts.