Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26709015›Full record

ArticleJournal of neuroscience methods2016

Methodology for computing white matter nerve fiber orientation in human histological slices.

Amin Nazaran, Jonathan J Wisco, Nathan Hageman, Stephen P Schettler, Anita Wong, Harry V Vinters, Chia-Chi Teng, Neal K Bangerter

Abstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neuroscience methods, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. NEUSEG: INTERPRETABLE UNSUPERVISED GM/WM SEGMENTATION IN BRAIN HISTOPATHOLOGY USING NUCLEI MORPHOMETRICS.Proceedings. IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Amin NazaranElectrical and Computer Engineering Department, Brigham Young University, 437 CB, Provo, UT 84602, United States. Electronic address: anazaran106@gmail.com.
Jonathan J WiscoDepartment of Physiology and Developmental Biology, and Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, United States; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States. Electronic address: jjwisco@byu.edu.
Nathan HagemanDepartment of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States. Electronic address: nhageman@ucla.edu.
Stephen P SchettlerDepartment of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States. Electronic address: sschettler@mednet.ucla.edu.
Anita WongDepartment of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States. Electronic address: anitawong@mednet.ucla.edu.
Harry V VintersDepartment of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States. Electronic address: hvinters@mednet.ucla.edu.
Chia-Chi TengSchool of Technology, Brigham Young University, 265 CTB, Provo, UT 84602, United States. Electronic address: ccteng@byu.edu.
Neal K BangerterElectrical and Computer Engineering Department, Brigham Young University, 437 CB, Provo, UT 84602, United States. Electronic address: nealb@ee.byu.edu.

Funding

Histologically validated structural MR imaging biomarkers for Alzheimers DiseaseR21AG037843 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · PI WISCO, JONATHAN J. · 2011 to 2012
$322k
NIA NIH HHS NIH/NIA 1 R21 AG037843NIA NIH HHS R21 AG037843
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe gold standard for mapping nerve fiber orientation in white matter of the human brain is histological analysis through biopsy. Such mappings are a crucial step in validating non-invasive techniques for assessing nerve fiber orientation in the human brain by using diffusion MRI. However, the manual extraction of nerve fiber directions of histological slices is tedious, time consuming, and prone to human error. NEW

methodThe presented semi-automated algorithm first creates a binary-segmented mask of the nerve fibers in the histological image, and then extracts an estimate of average directionality of nerve fibers through a Fourier-domain analysis of the masked image. It also generates an uncertainty level for its estimate of average directionality. RESULTS AND COMPARISON WITH EXISTING

methodsThe average orientations of the semi-automatic method were first compared to a qualitative expert opinion based on visual inspection of nerve fibers. A weighted RMS difference between the expert estimate and the algorithmically determined angle (weighted by expert's confidence in his estimate) was 15.4°, dropping to 9.9° when only cases with an expert confidence level of greater than 50% were included. The algorithmically determined angles were then compared with angles extracted using a manual segmentation technique, yielding an RMS difference of 11.2°.

conclusionThe presented semi-automated method is in good agreement with both qualitative and quantitative manual expert-based approaches for estimating directionality of nerve fibers in white matter from images of stained histological slices of the human brain.

Indexed as

AlgorithmsNerve Fibers, MyelinatedFourier AnalysisHippocampusHistological TechniquesHumansImage Processing, Computer-AssistedPattern Recognition, AutomatedWhite MatterAverage orientationFiber trackingFourier transformHistologyNerve fibersNerve fibers orientationOrientation mapWhite matter

Identifiers

PMID26709015
PMCPMC5299966

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.