Predicting Migration of Cancer Cells using Diffusion Tensor Imaging

• Abstract

  Diffusion tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a biomedical visualization technique, which shows direction of water diffusion. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is an application of diffusion MRI aiming to extract and characterize diffusion anisotropy affects. When applied to brain, DTI shows the motion flow in the white matter of brain. Radiotherapy is widely used intreatment of malignant brain lesions. Current treatment plans include a fixed length margin around the tumor region of interest to account for the possible tumor spread.

• Description

  Diffusion tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a biomedical visualization technique, which shows direction of water diffusion. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is an application of diffusion MRI aiming to extract and characterize diffusion anisotropy affects. When applied to brain, DTI shows the motion flow in the white matter of brain. Radiotherapy is widely used intreatment of malignant brain lesions. Current treatment plans include a fixed length margin around the tumor region of interest to account for the possible tumor spread. However, progressive tumors might occur outside of these margins, which requires more analysis about the spread of brain tumors. In this project, we are interested in predicting migration of cancer cells by using diffusion tensor MRI and finding out whether neuronal fiber pathways might provide possible routes for the spread of cancer cells. The outcome will help creating improved anisotropic margins for radiation treatment of brain tumors.

• Team Members