Pipeline refinement on diffusion tractography and T1 tractography in the presence of multiple sclerosis lesions

Liwei Zhou; Zhangxing Bian; Jinwei Zhang; Shiv Saidha; Peter A. Calabresi; Aaron Carass; Jerry L. Prince

doi:10.1117/12.3085635

Pipeline refinement on diffusion tractography and T1 tractography in the presence of multiple sclerosis lesions

Liwei Zhou
, Zhangxing Bian
, Jinwei Zhang
, Shiv Saidha
, Peter A. Calabresi
, Aaron Carass
, Jerry L. Prince

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) disrupts white matter integrity through demyelination and axonal loss, complicating tractography reconstruction. Diffusion MRI (dMRI)-based tractography is affected by reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) and spurious fiber orientation peaks in lesion areas, often causing premature termination or inaccurate streamlines. T1-weighted (T1w)-based tractography has emerged as a data-driven alternative, but hypointense lesions can mislead anatomical interpretation and compromise results. This study improves diffusion and T1w tractography pipelines in the presence of MS lesions. For dMRI, we apply lesion filling and an FA-boosting strategy to enhance tract continuity. For T1w tractography, lesion filling restores tissue intensity to avoid misclassification. Experiments on simulated and real MS data show that both lesion filling and FA boosting improve tract reconstruction.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	Medical Imaging 2026
Subtitle of host publication	Clinical and Biomedical Imaging
Editors	Barjor S. Gimi, Andrzej Krol
Publisher	SPIE
ISBN (Electronic)	9781510697959
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3085635
State	Published - Apr 1 2026
Event	Medical Imaging 2026: Clinical and Biomedical Imaging - Vancouver, Canada Duration: Feb 16 2026 → Feb 20 2026

Publication series

Name	Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE
Volume	13929
ISSN (Print)	1605-7422
ISSN (Electronic)	2410-9045

Conference

Conference	Medical Imaging 2026: Clinical and Biomedical Imaging
Country/Territory	Canada
City	Vancouver
Period	2/16/26 → 2/20/26

Keywords

Multiple sclerosis
magnetic resonance imaging
tractography

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Biomaterials
Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

Access to Document

10.1117/12.3085635

Cite this

Zhou, L., Bian, Z., Zhang, J., Saidha, S., Calabresi, P. A., Carass, A., & Prince, J. L. (2026). Pipeline refinement on diffusion tractography and T1 tractography in the presence of multiple sclerosis lesions. In B. S. Gimi, & A. Krol (Eds.), Medical Imaging 2026: Clinical and Biomedical Imaging Article 1392922 (Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE; Vol. 13929). SPIE. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3085635

Pipeline refinement on diffusion tractography and T1 tractography in the presence of multiple sclerosis lesions. / Zhou, Liwei; Bian, Zhangxing; Zhang, Jinwei et al.
Medical Imaging 2026: Clinical and Biomedical Imaging. ed. / Barjor S. Gimi; Andrzej Krol. SPIE, 2026. 1392922 (Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE; Vol. 13929).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Zhou, L, Bian, Z, Zhang, J, Saidha, S , Calabresi, PA, Carass, A & Prince, JL 2026, Pipeline refinement on diffusion tractography and T1 tractography in the presence of multiple sclerosis lesions. in BS Gimi & A Krol (eds), Medical Imaging 2026: Clinical and Biomedical Imaging., 1392922, Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE, vol. 13929, SPIE, Medical Imaging 2026: Clinical and Biomedical Imaging, Vancouver, Canada, 2/16/26. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3085635

Zhou L, Bian Z, Zhang J, Saidha S , Calabresi PA, Carass A et al. Pipeline refinement on diffusion tractography and T1 tractography in the presence of multiple sclerosis lesions. In Gimi BS, Krol A, editors, Medical Imaging 2026: Clinical and Biomedical Imaging. SPIE. 2026. 1392922. (Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE). doi: 10.1117/12.3085635

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abstract = "Multiple sclerosis (MS) disrupts white matter integrity through demyelination and axonal loss, complicating tractography reconstruction. Diffusion MRI (dMRI)-based tractography is affected by reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) and spurious fiber orientation peaks in lesion areas, often causing premature termination or inaccurate streamlines. T1-weighted (T1w)-based tractography has emerged as a data-driven alternative, but hypointense lesions can mislead anatomical interpretation and compromise results. This study improves diffusion and T1w tractography pipelines in the presence of MS lesions. For dMRI, we apply lesion filling and an FA-boosting strategy to enhance tract continuity. For T1w tractography, lesion filling restores tissue intensity to avoid misclassification. Experiments on simulated and real MS data show that both lesion filling and FA boosting improve tract reconstruction.",

keywords = "Multiple sclerosis, magnetic resonance imaging, tractography",

author = "Liwei Zhou and Zhangxing Bian and Jinwei Zhang and Shiv Saidha and Calabresi, \{Peter A.\} and Aaron Carass and Prince, \{Jerry L.\}",

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AU - Zhou, Liwei

AU - Bian, Zhangxing

AU - Zhang, Jinwei

AU - Saidha, Shiv

AU - Calabresi, Peter A.

AU - Carass, Aaron

AU - Prince, Jerry L.

PY - 2026/4/1

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N2 - Multiple sclerosis (MS) disrupts white matter integrity through demyelination and axonal loss, complicating tractography reconstruction. Diffusion MRI (dMRI)-based tractography is affected by reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) and spurious fiber orientation peaks in lesion areas, often causing premature termination or inaccurate streamlines. T1-weighted (T1w)-based tractography has emerged as a data-driven alternative, but hypointense lesions can mislead anatomical interpretation and compromise results. This study improves diffusion and T1w tractography pipelines in the presence of MS lesions. For dMRI, we apply lesion filling and an FA-boosting strategy to enhance tract continuity. For T1w tractography, lesion filling restores tissue intensity to avoid misclassification. Experiments on simulated and real MS data show that both lesion filling and FA boosting improve tract reconstruction.

AB - Multiple sclerosis (MS) disrupts white matter integrity through demyelination and axonal loss, complicating tractography reconstruction. Diffusion MRI (dMRI)-based tractography is affected by reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) and spurious fiber orientation peaks in lesion areas, often causing premature termination or inaccurate streamlines. T1-weighted (T1w)-based tractography has emerged as a data-driven alternative, but hypointense lesions can mislead anatomical interpretation and compromise results. This study improves diffusion and T1w tractography pipelines in the presence of MS lesions. For dMRI, we apply lesion filling and an FA-boosting strategy to enhance tract continuity. For T1w tractography, lesion filling restores tissue intensity to avoid misclassification. Experiments on simulated and real MS data show that both lesion filling and FA boosting improve tract reconstruction.

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KW - magnetic resonance imaging

KW - tractography

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ER -

Pipeline refinement on diffusion tractography and T1 tractography in the presence of multiple sclerosis lesions

Abstract

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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