The use of novel validation methods to investigate optimal ROI location and probabilistic thresholds in tractography for presurgical planning in brain tumour patients.

Although advanced tractography techniques exists and are well documented, many validation methods are not applicable to brain tumour cases and do not examine the possibility of proposing standard probabilistic thresholds. Using a novel approach, we investigate certain thresholds (‘safe’ thresholds) which can be applied to probabilistic tractography to reduce false representation of tracts, aid maximal tumour resection, and limit neurofunctional deficit from surgical treatments. We also examine optimal region of interest (ROI) location. ‘Safe’ thresholds can be determined, and with a wider confidence when tractography is defined with inclusion regions.