Using light and X-ray scattering to untangle complex neuronal orientations and validate diffusion MRI
Disentangling human brain connectivity requires an accurate description of nerve fiber trajectories, unveiled via detailed mapping of axonal orientations. However, this is challenging because axons can cross one another on a micrometer scale. Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) can be used t...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2023-05-01
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| Series: | eLife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/84024 |
| _version_ | 1797810424795627520 |
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| author | Miriam Menzel David Gräßel Ivan Rajkovic Michael M Zeineh Marios Georgiadis |
| author_facet | Miriam Menzel David Gräßel Ivan Rajkovic Michael M Zeineh Marios Georgiadis |
| author_sort | Miriam Menzel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Disentangling human brain connectivity requires an accurate description of nerve fiber trajectories, unveiled via detailed mapping of axonal orientations. However, this is challenging because axons can cross one another on a micrometer scale. Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) can be used to infer axonal connectivity because it is sensitive to axonal alignment, but it has limited spatial resolution and specificity. Scattered light imaging (SLI) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) reveal axonal orientations with microscopic resolution and high specificity, respectively. Here, we apply both scattering techniques on the same samples and cross-validate them, laying the groundwork for ground-truth axonal orientation imaging and validating dMRI. We evaluate brain regions that include unidirectional and crossing fibers in human and vervet monkey brain sections. SLI and SAXS quantitatively agree regarding in-plane fiber orientations including crossings, while dMRI agrees in the majority of voxels with small discrepancies. We further use SAXS and dMRI to confirm theoretical predictions regarding SLI determination of through-plane fiber orientations. Scattered light and X-ray imaging can provide quantitative micrometer 3D fiber orientations with high resolution and specificity, facilitating detailed investigations of complex fiber architecture in the animal and human brain. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:08:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-64cba2b2aa1b461b94bcef9b0ad25dee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:08:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-64cba2b2aa1b461b94bcef9b0ad25dee2023-06-06T06:31:06ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2023-05-011210.7554/eLife.84024Using light and X-ray scattering to untangle complex neuronal orientations and validate diffusion MRIMiriam Menzel0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6042-7490David Gräßel1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3228-8048Ivan Rajkovic2Michael M Zeineh3Marios Georgiadis4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0733-4559Department of Imaging Physics, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, GermanyInstitute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, GermanyStanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Standford, United StatesDepartment of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, United StatesDepartment of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, United StatesDisentangling human brain connectivity requires an accurate description of nerve fiber trajectories, unveiled via detailed mapping of axonal orientations. However, this is challenging because axons can cross one another on a micrometer scale. Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) can be used to infer axonal connectivity because it is sensitive to axonal alignment, but it has limited spatial resolution and specificity. Scattered light imaging (SLI) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) reveal axonal orientations with microscopic resolution and high specificity, respectively. Here, we apply both scattering techniques on the same samples and cross-validate them, laying the groundwork for ground-truth axonal orientation imaging and validating dMRI. We evaluate brain regions that include unidirectional and crossing fibers in human and vervet monkey brain sections. SLI and SAXS quantitatively agree regarding in-plane fiber orientations including crossings, while dMRI agrees in the majority of voxels with small discrepancies. We further use SAXS and dMRI to confirm theoretical predictions regarding SLI determination of through-plane fiber orientations. Scattered light and X-ray imaging can provide quantitative micrometer 3D fiber orientations with high resolution and specificity, facilitating detailed investigations of complex fiber architecture in the animal and human brain.https://elifesciences.org/articles/84024brain connectivityX-ray scatteringlight scatteringneuroimagingcorona radiatavervet monkey |
| spellingShingle | Miriam Menzel David Gräßel Ivan Rajkovic Michael M Zeineh Marios Georgiadis Using light and X-ray scattering to untangle complex neuronal orientations and validate diffusion MRI eLife brain connectivity X-ray scattering light scattering neuroimaging corona radiata vervet monkey |
| title | Using light and X-ray scattering to untangle complex neuronal orientations and validate diffusion MRI |
| title_full | Using light and X-ray scattering to untangle complex neuronal orientations and validate diffusion MRI |
| title_fullStr | Using light and X-ray scattering to untangle complex neuronal orientations and validate diffusion MRI |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using light and X-ray scattering to untangle complex neuronal orientations and validate diffusion MRI |
| title_short | Using light and X-ray scattering to untangle complex neuronal orientations and validate diffusion MRI |
| title_sort | using light and x ray scattering to untangle complex neuronal orientations and validate diffusion mri |
| topic | brain connectivity X-ray scattering light scattering neuroimaging corona radiata vervet monkey |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/84024 |
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