An R2* model of white matter for fiber orientation and myelin concentration

Publication date: 15 November 2017
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 162
Author(s): Jingu Lee, Hyeong-Geol Shin, Woojin Jung, Yoonho Nam, Se-Hong Oh, Jongho Lee
Myelin, which consists of lipid bilayers, is one of the major constituents of white matter in the brain and has been suggested as a primary source of magnetic susceptibility contrasts. In this study, a new R2* model that simultaneously explains the effects of fiber orientation and myelin concentration is proposed and tested. In addition, a new approach that produces R2* maps without the effects of myelin is suggested. Experimental results demonstrate that the model reveals a high goodness of fit for the R2* distribution of white matter compared to a model that explains either fiber orientation or myelin concentration. The proposed R2* map shows a relatively uniform spatial distribution of R2* compared to the uncorrected R2* map and the fiber orientation or myelin concentration corrected R2* map.

Graphical abstract

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