Fusion of MRI and DTI to Assist the Treatment Solution of Brain Tumor

With contrast to conventional MRI, diffusion tensor image (DTI) can demonstrate the anatomic structure and pathological process of white matter tracts and it is widely used by clinician. However, at present, DTI and MRI images are diagnosed respectively and clinician gets the image information objectively, and this leads to different diagnosis conclusions. In this article, we develop an integrated approach that aims to maximize the amount of image information for clinician by combining anatomical and functional MR images with nerve fiber bundles derived from diffusion tensor imaging to assist treatment solution for brain tumor. Firstly, segmentation on MRI T₂ is operated to decide solid tumor border or edema area et al; and then DTI and MRI images are fused together, which can supplied not only individual information but also fusion information. This new visualization facility which is intuitive for clinician to understand and use can adequately mine this source of image information. Finally, white matter fibers affected by tumor were analyzed quantitatively. The combined visualization and computational methods have the potential to assist in preoperative surgery and radiotherapy planning as well as postoperative treatment evaluation.