Tensor-based analysis for measuring ventricular volume increases in mouse brain MR microscopy

This paper describes a method for detecting small ventricular volume differences between experimental group and non-drug using control group in mouse brain. Deformations are obtained by a three step intensity-based nonlinear registration routine that transforms one brain to another. High resolution T2-weighted mouse brain magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) was analyzed using full deformation tensor. A significant mean Jacobian determinant increase was found in the experimental group (0.151±0.029, p<;0.001, two-tailed t-test) but not in the control group (0.021±0.027, p=0.07). Moreover, the increase in mean ventricular Jacobian determinant in the experimental group is significantly greater than in the control group (p<;0.001). This approach may be used to investigate the increasing in ventricular volume in transgenic mice and other putative animal models of Alzheimer´s disease.