Anders Brun

Clustering Fiber Traces Using Normalized Cuts

In this paper we present a framework for unsupervised segmentation of white matter fiber traces obtained from diffusion weighted MRI data. Fiber traces are compared pairwise to create a weighted undirected graph which is partitioned into coherent sets using the normalized cut (N cut) criterion. A simple and yet effective method for pairwise comparison of fiber traces is presented which in combination with the N cut criterion is shown to produce plausible segmentations of both synthetic and real fiber trace data. Segmentations are visualized as colored stream-tubes or transformed to a segmentation of voxel space, revealing structures in a way that looks promising for future explorative studies of diffusion weighted MRI data.

Coloring of DT-MRI Fiber Traces Using Laplacian Eigenmaps

We propose a novel post processing method for visualization of fiber traces from DT-MRI data. Using a recently proposed non-linear dimensionality reduction technique, Laplacian eigenmaps [3], we create a mapping from a set of fiber traces to a low dimensional Euclidean space. Laplacian eigenmaps constructs this mapping so that similar traces are mapped to similar points, given a custom made pairwise similarity measure for fiber traces. We demonstrate that when the low-dimensional space is the RGB color space, this can be used to visualize fiber traces in a way which enhances the perception of fiber bundles and connectivity in the human brain.

Regularized Stochastic White Matter Tractography Using Diffusion Tensor MRI

The development of Diffusion Tensor MRI has raised hopes in the neuro-science community for in vivo methods to track fiber paths in the white matter. A number of approaches have been presented, but there are still several essential problems that need to be solved. In this paper a novel fiber propagation model is proposed, based on stochastics and regularization, allowing paths originating in one point to branch and return a probability distribution of possible paths. The proposed method utilizes the principles of a statistical Monte Carlo method called Sequential Importance Sampling and Resampling (SISR).

Robust Generalized Total Least Squares Iterative Closest Point Registration

This paper investigates the use of a total least squares approach in a generalization of the iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm for shape registration. A new Generalized Total Least Squares (GTLS) formulation of the minimization process is presented opposed to the traditional Least Squares (LS) technique. Accounting for uncertainty both in the target and in the source models will lead to a more robust estimation of the transformation. Robustness against outliers is guaranteed by an iterative scheme to update the noise covariances. Experimental results show that this generalization is superior to the least squares counterpart.

Fast manifold learning based on riemannian normal coordinates

We present a novel method for manifold learning, i.e. identification of the low-dimensional manifold-like structure present in a set of data points in a possibly high-dimensional space. The main idea is derived from the concept of Riemannian normal coordinates. This coordinate system is in a way a generalization of Cartesian coordinates in Euclidean space. We translate this idea to a cloud of data points in order to perform dimension reduction. Our implementation currently uses Dijkstras algorithm for shortest paths in graphs and some basic concepts from differential geometry. We expect this approach to open up new possibilities for analysis of e.g. shape in medical imaging and signal processing of manifold-valued signals, where the coordinate system is “learned” from experimental high-dimensional data rather than defined analytically using e.g. models based on Lie-groups.

A Review of Tensors and Tensor Signal Processing

Tensors have been broadly used in mathematics and physics, since they are a generalization of scalars or vectors and allow to represent more complex properties. In this chapter we present an overview of some tensor applications, especially those focused on the image processing field. From a mathematical point of view, a lot of work has been developed about tensor calculus, which obviously is more complex than scalar or vectorial calculus. Moreover, tensors can represent the metric of a vector space, which is very useful in the field of differential geometry. In physics, tensors have been used to describe several magnitudes, such as the strain or stress of materials. In solid mechanics, tensors are used to define the generalized Hooke’s law, where a fourth order tensor relates the strain and stress tensors. In fluid dynamics, the velocity gradient tensor provides information about the vorticity and the strain of the fluids. Also an electromagnetic tensor is defined, that simplifies the notation of the Maxwell equations. But tensors are not constrained to physics and mathematics. They have been used, for instance, in medical imaging, where we can highlight two applications: the diffusion tensor image, which represents how molecules diffuse inside the tissues and is broadly used for brain imaging; and the tensorial elastography, which computes the strain and vorticity tensor to analyze the tissues properties. Tensors have also been used in computer vision to provide information about the local structure or to define anisotropic image filters.

Enabling bio-feedback using real-time fMRI

Despite the enormous complexity of the human mind, fMRI techniques are able to partially observe the state of a brain in action. In this paper we describe an experimental setup for real-time fMRI in a bio-feedback loop. One of the main challenges in the project is to reach a detection speed, accuracy and spatial resolution necessary to attain sufficient bandwidth of communication to close the bio-feedback loop. To this end we have banked on our previous work on real-time filtering for fMRI and system identification, which has been tailored for use in the experiment setup.

Tensor Glyph Warping : Visualizing Metric Tensor Fields using Riemannian Exponential Maps

The Riemannian exponential map, and its inverse the Riemannian logarithm map, can be used to visualize metric tensor fields. In this chapter we first derive the well-known metric sphere glyph from the geodesic equation, where the tensor field to be visualized is regarded as the metric of a manifold. These glyphs capture the appearance of the tensors relative to the coordinate system of the human observer. We then introduce two new concepts for metric tensor field visualization: geodesic spheres and geodesically warped glyphs. These extensions make it possible not only to visualize tensor anisotropy, but also the curvature and change in tensor-shape in a local neighborhood. The framework is based on the exp p (v i ) and log p (q) maps, which can be computed by solving a second-order ordinary differential equation (ODE) or by manipulating the geodesic distance function. The latter can be found by solving the eikonal equation, a nonlinear partial differential equation (PDE), or it can be derived analytically for some manifolds. To avoid heavy calculations, we also include first- and second-order Taylor approximations to exp and log. In our experiments, these are shown to be sufficiently accurate to produce glyphs that visually characterize anisotropy, curvature, and shape-derivatives in sufficiently smooth tensor fields where most glyphs are relatively similar in size.

Representing pairs of orientations in the plane

In this article we present a way of representing pairs of orientations in the plane. This is an extension of the familiar way of representing single orientations in the plane. Using this framework, pairs of lines can be added, scaled and averaged over in a sense which is to be described. In particular, single lines can be incorporated and handled simultaneously.

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Means on the Circle - A Maximum Likelihood Interpretation

For data samples in Rn, the mean is a well known estimator. When the data set belongs to an embedded manifold M in Rn, e.g. the unit circle in R2, the definition of a mean can be extended and constrained to M by choosing either the intrinsic Riemannian metric of the manifold or the extrinsic metric of the embedding space. A common view has been that extrinsic means are approximate solutions to the intrinsic mean problem. This paper study both means on the unit circle and reveal how they are related to the ML estimate of independent samples generated from a Brownian distribution. The conclusion is that on the circle, intrinsic and extrinsic means are maximum likelihood estimators in the limits of high SNR and low SNR respectively.