Novel Whole Brain DTI Segmentation and Diffusion Colour Mapping Technique for Tumour Diagnosis and Boundary Delineation

Timothy Lloyd Jones¹, Ai Wern Chung², B Anthony Bell¹, Thomas Richard Barrick²

Accurate delineation of brain tumour boundaries is crucial for diagnosis, surveillance and treatment planning (e.g. image guided cyto-reductive surgery or radiotherapy). We propose a novel whole brain k-medians diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) algorithm generating Diffusion Colour Maps (DCMs) incorporating T2 relaxation, isotropic (p) and anisotropic (q) characteristics. In this study, we have applied our technique to a variety of intracranial pathology revealing characteristic colour patterns for each lesion type and clearly delineated tumour boundaries, suggesting a potential role in diagnosis and treatment planning.