Virtual Klingler Dissection: Putting Fibers into Context

Abstract

Fiber tracking is a standard tool to estimate the course of major white matter tracts from diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) data. In this work, we aim at supporting the visual analysis of classical streamlines from fiber tracking by integrating context from anatomical data, acquired by a T1-weighted MRI measurement. To this end, we suggest a novel visualization metaphor, which is based on data-driven deformation of geometry and has been inspired by a technique for anatomical fiber preparation known as Klingler dissection. We demonstrate that our method conveys the relation between streamlines and surrounding anatomical features more effectively than standard techniques like slice images and direct volume rendering. The method works automatically, but its GPU-based implementation allows for additional, intuitive interaction.