Diffusion Tensor Tractography of the Human Brain Cortico-Ponto-Cerebellar Pathways: A Quantitative Preliminary Study

Purpose: To investigate the utility of diffusion tensor tractography at 1 mm slice thickness to map and quantify the whole trajectory of different cortico-ponto-cerebellar pathways of the healthy adult human brain. Materials and Methods: This work was approved by the local Institutional Review Board, and was Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant. Five healthy right-handed men (age range, 24-37 years) were studied and written informed consent was obtained. Diffusion tensor imaging data acquired with 1-mm slice thickness at a 3.0 Tesla (T) clinical MRI scanner were prepared and analyzed using tractography methods to reconstruct the cortico-ponto-cerebellar pathways which included the fronto-ponto-cerebellar, parieto-ponto-cerebellar, occipito-ponto-cerebellar, and temporo-ponto-cerebellar tracts. Results: We demonstrate the feasibility of tractographic mapping and quantification of the four cortico-ponto-cerebellar system components based on their cortical connections in the healthy human brain using DTI data with thin 1-mm sections. Conclusion: In vivo quantification of different cortico-ponto-cerebellar pathways based on cortical connection is feasible, using 1-mm slices at 3.0T.