Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging

During the last decade, advances in the field of Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) have led to the design of numerous innovative imaging techniques. These techniques have not only facilitated structural visualization of anatomy, but also have provided a wealth of functional information regarding biological processes. Diffusion tensor MRI (DT-MRI) is one such technique of rapidly growing research, both in technical refinements, as well as in clinical applications. DT-MRI attempts to analyze the magnitude and orientation of random microscopic motion of water molecules in all three dimensions. In this paper, we briefly describe the principles of diffusion of water molecules in biological tissues and discuss how tensor elements are measured using diffusion sensitive MR imaging. We also discuss the various techniques of depiction of this data that are currently under evaluation, and their relevance to clinical imaging and research.