Reproducibility of DTI Measures on Different Scanners
Author Information
Author(s): Vollmar Christian, O'Muircheartaigh Jonathan, Barker Gareth J., Symms Mark R., Thompson Pamela, Kumari Veena, Duncan John S., Richardson Mark P., Koepp Matthias J.
Primary Institution: UCL Institute of Neurology
Hypothesis
This study aims to assess the reproducibility of DTI measures using two nominally identical 3T scanners at different sites.
Conclusion
The study found that both intra-site and inter-site reproducibility of fractional anisotropy measures from DTI showed coefficients of variation below 2%.
Supporting Evidence
- Intra-site CV for FA ranged from 0.8% to 3.0% with ICC from 0.90 to 0.99.
- Inter-site CV ranged from 1.0% to 4.1% with ICC of 0.82 to 0.99.
- Nonlinear image coregistration improved reproducibility compared to affine coregistration.
Takeaway
The study looked at how consistently brain scans can be repeated using the same type of MRI machines at different locations, and found they can be very consistent.
Methodology
Nine healthy subjects underwent four MRI scans each on two different 3T scanners, with various image processing techniques applied to assess reproducibility.
Potential Biases
There may be slight differences in scanner performance despite being nominally identical, which could introduce bias.
Limitations
The study was limited to healthy controls and may not generalize to clinical populations.
Participant Demographics
Nine healthy subjects (2 female, age range 28–52 years).
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0026
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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