Visualizing high-resolution diffusion data by maximum coherence projection

1. A non-transatory computer-readable medium having encoded thereon software for causing display of diffusion data, the software including instructions for:

obtaining orientation density functions associated with the diffusion data;

obtaining, from an orientation density function associated with a first voxel, a first orientation vector, the first voxel lying on at least one track;

identifying a second voxel on the basis of the first orientation vector;

selecting, from a set of orientation vectors associated with the second voxel, a second orientation vector; and

determining, on the basis of a relationship between the first and second orientation vector, whether a section of track is to be built along a path defined by the first and second orientation vectors.

2. A non-transatory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the software further comprises instructions for ending the track in response to determining that the relationship between the first and second orientation vector is inconsistent with continuing the track.

3. A non-transatory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the software further comprises instructions for defining a track section along the path defined by the first and second orientation vectors.

4. A non-transatory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the software further comprises instructions for selecting the relationship to include determining a difference in the directions of the first and second orientation vectors, and defining a threshold difference in direction, such that if the difference is in excess of the threshold, the track is terminated.

5. A non-transatory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions for selecting the second orientation vector comprise instructions for selecting, from the set of orientation vectors associated with the second voxel, that vector that is closest to being parallel to the first orientation vector.

6. A non-transatory computer-readable medium having encoded thereon software for causing the display of diffusion data, the software including instructions for:

defining intra-voxel coherence of the diffusion data;

defining inter-voxel coherence of the diffusion data;

on the basis of the inter-voxel coherence and the intra-voxel coherence, defining a multiplicity of tracks; and

displaying only those tracks that have a selected characteristic.

7. A non-transatory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the software further comprises instruction for selecting the characteristic to be related to track length.

8. A non-transatory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the instructions for displaying only those tracks that have a selected characteristic comprise instructions for displaying only those tracks that contact a selected volume.

9. A non-transatory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the instructions for displaying only those tracks that have a selected characteristic comprise instructions for displaying only those tracks that cross a selected slice.

10. A non-transatory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the instructions for displaying only those tracks that have a selected characteristic comprise instructions for displaying only those tracks that terminate at a selected slice.

11. A non-transatory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the instructions for displaying only those tracks that have a selected characteristic comprise instructions for assigning a display property to a track, the display property corresponding to a characteristic of the track.

12. A non-transatory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the software further comprises instructions for selecting the display property to be color.

13. A non-transatory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the software further comprises instructions for selecting the display property to depend on an endpoint of the track.

14. A non-transatory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising selecting the display property to depend on track length.

15. A method for displaying diffusion data, the method comprising:

obtaining orientation density functions associated with the diffusion data;

obtaining, from an orientation density function associated with a first voxel, a first orientation vector; the first voxel lying on at least one track;

identifying a second voxel on the basis of the first orientation vector;

selecting, from a set of orientation vectors associated with the second voxel, a second orientation vector; and

determining, on the basis of a relationship between the first and second orientation vector, whether a section of track is to be built along the path defined by the first and second orientation vectors.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising ending the track if the relationship between the first and second orientation vector is inconsistent with continuing the track.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising defining a track section along the path defined by the first and second orientation vectors.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising selecting the relationship to include determining a difference in the directions of the first and second orientation vectors, and defining a threshold difference in direction, such that if the difference is in excess of the threshold, the track is terminated.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein selecting the second orientation vector comprises selecting, from the set of orientation vectors associated with the second voxel, that vector that is closest to being parallel to the first orientation vector.

20. A method for displaying diffusion data, the method comprising:

defining intra-voxel coherence of the diffusion data;

defining inter-voxel coherence of the diffusion data;

on the basis of the inter-voxel coherence and the intra-voxel coherence, defining a multiplicity of tracks; and

displaying only those tracks that have a selected characteristic.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising selecting the characteristic to be related to track length.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein displaying only those tracks that have a selected characteristic comprises displaying only those tracks that contact a selected volume.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein displaying only those tracks that have a selected characteristic comprises displaying only those tracks that cross a selected slice.

24. The method of claim 20 , wherein displaying only those tracks that have a selected characteristic comprises displaying only those tracks that terminate at a selected slice.

25. The method of claim 20 , wherein displaying only those tracks that have a selected characteristic comprises assigning a display property to a track, the display property corresponding to a characteristic of the track.

26. The method of claim 25 , further comprising selecting the display property to be color.

27. The method of claim 25 , further comprising selecting the display property to depend on an endpoint of the track.

28. The method of claim 25 , further comprising selecting the display property to depend on track length.

29. A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising

a magnetic field source;

a detection subsystem for detecting electromagnetic radiation generated in response to operating the magnetic field source;

a controller for controlling operation of the magnetic field source and the detection subsystem;

a processing subsystem for generating diffusion data on the basis of data provided by the detection subsystem, the processing subsystem being configured to

obtain orientation density functions associated with the diffusion data;

obtain, from an orientation density function associated with a first voxel, a first orientation vector; the first voxel lying on at least one track;

identify a second voxel on the basis of the first orientation vector;

select, from a set of orientation vectors associated with the second voxel, a second orientation vector; and

determine, on the basis of a relationship between the first and second orientation vector, whether a section of track is to be built along the path defined by the first and second orientation vectors.

30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the processing subsystem is further configured to end the track if the relationship between the first and second orientation vector is inconsistent with continuing the track.

31. The system of claim 29 , wherein the processing subsystem is further configured to define a track section along the path defined by the first and second orientation vectors.

32. The system of claim 29 , wherein the processing subsystem is further configured

to select the relationship to include a difference in the directions of the first and second orientation vectors, and

to define a threshold difference in direction, such that if the difference is in excess of the threshold, the track is terminated.

33. The system of claim 29 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to select the second orientation vector at least in part by selecting, from the set of orientation vectors associated with the second voxel, that vector that is closest to being parallel to the first orientation vector.

34. A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:

a magnetic field source;

a detection subsystem for detecting electromagnetic radiation generated in response to operating the magnetic field source;

a controller for controlling operation of the magnetic field source and the detection subsystem;

a processing subsystem for generating diffusion data on the basis of data provided by the detection subsystem, the processing subsystem being configured to

define intra-voxel coherence of the diffusion data;

define inter-voxel coherence of the diffusion data;

on the basis of the inter-voxel coherence and the intra-voxel coherence, define a multiplicity of tracks; and

display only those tracks that have a selected characteristic.

35. The system of claim 34 , wherein the processing subsystem is further configured to select the characteristic to be related to track length.

36. The system of claim 34 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to display only those tracks that contact a selected volume.

37. The system of claim 34 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to display only those tracks that cross a selected slice.

38. The system of claim 34 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to display only those tracks that terminate at a selected slice.

39. The system of claim 34 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to display only those tracks that have a display property assigned to a track, the display property corresponding to a characteristic of the track.

40. The system of claim 39 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to select the display property to be color.

41. The system of claim 39 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to select the display property to depend on an endpoint of the track.

42. The system of claim 39 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to select the display property to depend on track length.