• Object ID: 00000018WIA30963970GYZ
  • Topic ID: id_40024867 Version: 1.5
  • Date: Mar 28, 2022 3:41:50 PM

FiberTrak workflow

About this task

Use these steps to generate FiberTrak images. FiberTrak is an optional feature and requires a Diffusion Tensor data set.

Important: In a tractography view, the software computes the gradient of each voxel within the volume in order to compute the voxel’s color and associated shading for the three displayed planes: axial, coronal, and sagittal. The gradient computation requires information from not only the voxel but also its neighboring voxels. To prevent artifacts, the voxels located at the volume borders that have missing neighboring voxels are not displayed. In a tractography view, the first two slices and the last two slices are not rendered in the sagittal and coronal planes, even though some fibers might be found and displayed in those areas.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. From the Patient List, select an exam with a Diffusion Tensor series and any other anatomical or functional series you want to review.
  2. Open READY View and launch the FiberTrak protocol.
    • All selected series are displayed in the Review Steps. FiberTrak, Main EigenVector and Colored Orientation are always displayed with the FiberTrak protocol. Other series displayed in the Review Steps are dependent on the series selected from the Patient List.
  3. From the Review Steps, click FiberTrak.
    Figure 1. Review Steps for FiberTrak protocol


    The colored orientation images display. Consider changing one of the viewports to oblique. Note that as you rotate the cube, the orientation map in the lower right corner updates.

  4. Scroll through the images to locate an image that displays white matter tracts or pathology of interest from which you can deposit ROIs to define the tracts.
    For details, see Scroll through the images.
  5. Adjust W/L and mag factor, as needed.
  6. From the DTI FiberTrak screen, click New Tract.
    • New Track allows you to deposit ROIs to define a new track. The track is listed in the Fiber Track List. The maximum number of tracks you can create is 10. You can deposit up to 5 ROIs per track. The First ROI is the Seed and the second ROI is the Target.
    • Fiber Track List displays all Tracks and ROIs deposited on the image. The ROI tools are displayed next to the track list and can be used to deposit ROIs on the image, which define the tracks.
    • Track generates the tracks from the deposited ROIs.
    • Next displays the track statistics.
  7. Click one of the ROI icons from the DTI screen.
    Figure 2. FiberTrak ROIs list


  8. Position the cursor over the area of interest and click to deposit the ROI. Size and shape the ROI as needed.
    • Any image viewport can be used to position the ROI. Typically, use the color orientation map - it is very useful in visualizing the white matter tract orientations.
    • If you draw a free hand ROI, select a Propagation mode.
    • You can deposit up to 5 ROIs per tract.
    • The more ROIs you deposit the longer the computation time.
    • To remove a tract or ROI, click the Trash icon () next to the item you want to remove.
      Figure 3. Example of a tumor segmented using Auto Contour and then fused with fiber tract image and volume rendered 3D image


  9. Click Track to generate the white matter fiber tracts.
    Up to 10 tracts can be deposited.
  10. Repeat steps 6-9 for each new tract.
  11. To toggle the tracks on/off the image, click the Eye icons ( or ) next to the track. This can be done from either the Fiber Track list screen or from the Multi-Objects screen.
  12. To view quantitative data, click from the DTI FiberTrak screen, click Next.
  13. From the DTI screen title bar, click the Tools icon ().
  14. From the DTI screen, click the FiberTrak - Advanced Settings arrow to set the stopping criteria for tracking fibers.
    1. If needed, type a new value for the Min FA, Max ADC, Max step or Max Fiber Angle.
    2. Click Track to generate updated tracking fibers.
      • Reset changes the selections to the factory default values.
      • Save All saves your selections as the new default values
  15. From the DTI screen, click the FiberTrak - Final Settings arrow to review the settings. If you want to change any of the settings, follow these steps.
    1. Click the appropriate selection from the DTI screen.
    2. Click Compute to generate updated maps.
  16. To exit READY View, click the Exit icon ().