ArticleNature communications2017
The challenge of mapping the human connectome based on diffusion tractography.
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Article in Nature communications, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 699 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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699citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
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Who cites it
699 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
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- Associations between READ1 deletion, reading proficiency, and white matter network organisation in children with and without developmental dyslexia.Brain structure & function · 2026Article
- Mapping the topographic organization of the human zona incerta using diffusion MRI.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Rethinking white matter-tumor interaction: a tractography based analysis of associations between fractional anisotropy and morphometry in the IFOF and arcuate fasciculus.Journal of neuro-oncology · 2026Article
- Clinically Feasible White Matter Fiber Tractography in Peritumoral Zones With Cerebral Vasogenic Edema.Magnetic resonance in medicine · 2026Article
639 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
77 authors.
Klaus H Maier-HeinDivision of Medical Image Computing, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, 69120, Germany. k.maier-hein@dkfz.de.
Peter F NeherDivision of Medical Image Computing, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, 69120, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5285-7554
Jean-Christophe HoudeSherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, QC, Canada.
Marc-Alexandre CôtéSherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, QC, Canada.
Eleftherios GaryfallidisSherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, QC, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3991-2774
Jidan ZhongKrembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada, M5G 2C4.
Maxime ChamberlandSherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, QC, Canada.
Fang-Cheng YehDepartment of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Ying-Chia LinIMT-Institute for Advanced Studies, Lucca, 55100, Italy.
Qing JiDepartment of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
Wilburn E ReddickDepartment of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1054-1201
John O GlassDepartment of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9679-2054
David Qixiang ChenUniversity of Toronto Institute of Medical Science, Toronto, Canada, M5S 1A8.
Yuanjing FengInstitute of Information Processing and Automation, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9398-5456
Chengfeng GaoInstitute of Information Processing and Automation, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, China.
Ye WuInstitute of Information Processing and Automation, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, China.
Jieyan MaUnited Imaging Healthcare Co., Shanghai, 201807, China.
Renjie HeUnited Imaging Healthcare Co., Shanghai, 201807, China.
Qiang LiUnited Imaging Healthcare Co., Shanghai, 201807, China.
Carl-Fredrik WestinLaboratory of Mathematics in Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
Samuel Deslauriers-GauthierSherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, QC, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2781-121X
J Omar Ocegueda GonzálezCenter for Research in Mathematics, Guanajuato, 36023, Mexico.
Michael PaquetteSherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, QC, Canada.
Samuel St-JeanSherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, QC, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8092-2974
Gabriel GirardSherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, QC, Canada.
François RheaultSherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, QC, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0097-8004
Jasmeen SidhuSherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, QC, Canada.
Chantal M W TaxPROVIDI Lab, Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508, The Netherlands.
Fenghua GuoPROVIDI Lab, Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508, The Netherlands.
Hamed Y MesriPROVIDI Lab, Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508, The Netherlands.
Szabolcs DávidPROVIDI Lab, Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0316-3895
Martijn FroelingDepartment of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3841-0497
Anneriet M HeemskerkPROVIDI Lab, Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508, The Netherlands.
Alexander LeemansPROVIDI Lab, Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508, The Netherlands.
Arnaud BoréCentre de recherche institut universitaire de geriatrie de Montreal (CRIUGM), Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3W 1W5.
Basile PinsardCentre de recherche institut universitaire de geriatrie de Montreal (CRIUGM), Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3W 1W5.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4391-3075
Christophe BedettiCentre de recherche institut universitaire de geriatrie de Montreal (CRIUGM), Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3W 1W5.
Matthieu DesrosiersCentre de recherche institut universitaire de geriatrie de Montreal (CRIUGM), Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3W 1W5.
Simona BrambatiCentre de recherche institut universitaire de geriatrie de Montreal (CRIUGM), Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3W 1W5.
Julien DoyonCentre de recherche institut universitaire de geriatrie de Montreal (CRIUGM), Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3W 1W5.
Alessia SaricaNeuroimaging Unit, Institute of Bioimaging and Molecular Physiology (IBFM), National Research Council (CNR), Policlinico Magna Graecia, Germaneto, 88100, CZ, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1362-6718
Roberta VastaNeuroimaging Unit, Institute of Bioimaging and Molecular Physiology (IBFM), National Research Council (CNR), Policlinico Magna Graecia, Germaneto, 88100, CZ, Italy.
Antonio CerasaNeuroimaging Unit, Institute of Bioimaging and Molecular Physiology (IBFM), National Research Council (CNR), Policlinico Magna Graecia, Germaneto, 88100, CZ, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8022-4770
Aldo QuattroneNeuroimaging Unit, Institute of Bioimaging and Molecular Physiology (IBFM), National Research Council (CNR), Policlinico Magna Graecia, Germaneto, 88100, CZ, Italy.
Jason YeatmanInstitute for Learning & Brain Sciences and Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
Ali R KhanDepartments of Medical Biophysics & Medical Imaging, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, 1151 Richmond St N, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0760-8647
Wes HodgesSynaptive Medical Inc., MaRS Discovery District, 101 College Street, Suite 200, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5V 3B1.
Simon AlexanderSynaptive Medical Inc., MaRS Discovery District, 101 College Street, Suite 200, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5V 3B1.
David RomascanoSignal Processing Lab (LTS5), Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland.
Muhamed BarakovicSignal Processing Lab (LTS5), Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8557-9223
Anna AuríaSignal Processing Lab (LTS5), Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland.
Oscar EstebanBiomedical Image Technologies (BIT), ETSI Telecom., U. Politécnica de Madrid and CIBER-BBN, Madrid, 28040, Spain.
Alia LemkaddemSignal Processing Lab (LTS5), Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland.
Jean-Philippe ThiranSignal Processing Lab (LTS5), Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2938-9657
H Ertan CetingulMedical Imaging Technologies, Siemens Healthcare, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA.
Benjamin L OdryMedical Imaging Technologies, Siemens Healthcare, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA.
Boris MailheMedical Imaging Technologies, Siemens Healthcare, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA.
Mariappan S NadarMedical Imaging Technologies, Siemens Healthcare, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA.
Fabrizio PizzagalliImaging Genetics Center, Stevens Neuro Imaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Marina del Rey, CA, 90033, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4582-0224
Gautam PrasadImaging Genetics Center, Stevens Neuro Imaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Marina del Rey, CA, 90033, USA.
Julio E Villalon-ReinaImaging Genetics Center, Stevens Neuro Imaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Marina del Rey, CA, 90033, USA.
Justin GalvisImaging Genetics Center, Stevens Neuro Imaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Marina del Rey, CA, 90033, USA.
Paul M ThompsonImaging Genetics Center, Stevens Neuro Imaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Marina del Rey, CA, 90033, USA.
Francisco De Santiago RequejoNatBrainLab, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
Pedro Luque LagunaNatBrainLab, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
Luis Miguel LacerdaNatBrainLab, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
Rachel BarrettNatBrainLab, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
Flavio Dell'AcquaNatBrainLab, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
Marco CataniNatBrainLab, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
Laurent PetitGroupe d'imagerie Neurofonctionnelle-Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives (GIN-IMN), UMR5293 CNRS, CEA, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 33000, France.
Emmanuel CaruyerCentre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), Institute for Research in IT and Random Systems (IRISA), UMR 6074 VISAGES Project-Team, Rennes, 35042, France.
Alessandro DaducciSignal Processing Lab (LTS5), Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4677-6678
Tim B DyrbyDanish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Center for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, 2650, Denmark.
Tim Holland-LetzDivision of Biostatistics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, 69120, Germany.
Claus C HilgetagDepartment of Computational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20246, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2129-8910
Bram StieltjesUniversity Hospital Basel, Radiology & Nuclear Medicine Clinic, Basel, 4031, Switzerland.
Maxime DescoteauxSherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, QC, Canada. m.descoteaux@usherbrooke.ca.
Funding
Training and DisseminationP41EB015902 · NIBIB · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · PI PUJOL, SONIA · 2012 to 2022
$20.9MImage Guided Therapy Center - Ultrasound-based sensor system for the monitoring of COVID-19 patientsP41EB015898 · NIBIB · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · PI TEMPANY, CLARE M · 2012 to 2021
$18.9MTR&D3: Intrinsic Surface MappingP41EB015922 · NIBIB · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI VAN HORN, JOHN DARRELL · 2012 to 2022
$14.1MIntellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research CenterU54HD083091 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI GURALNICK, MICHAEL J · 2014 to 2019
$7.9MQuantitative MR measure of MTX neurotoxicity in childrenR01CA090246 · NCI · ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL · PI REDDICK, WILBURN E. · 2002 to 2015
$3.5MNCI NIH HHS R01 CA090246NIBIB NIH HHS P41 EB015898NIBIB NIH HHS P41 EB015902NIBIB NIH HHS P41 EB015922NICHD NIH HHS U54 HD083091Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust 103759/Z/14/Z
Abstract
Tractography based on non-invasive diffusion imaging is central to the study of human brain connectivity. To date, the approach has not been systematically validated in ground truth studies. Based on a simulated human brain data set with ground truth tracts, we organized an open international tractography challenge, which resulted in 96 distinct submissions from 20 research groups. Here, we report the encouraging finding that most state-of-the-art algorithms produce tractograms containing 90% of the ground truth bundles (to at least some extent). However, the same tractograms contain many more invalid than valid bundles, and half of these invalid bundles occur systematically across research groups. Taken together, our results demonstrate and confirm fundamental ambiguities inherent in tract reconstruction based on orientation information alone, which need to be considered when interpreting tractography and connectivity results. Our approach provides a novel framework for estimating reliability of tractography and encourages innovation to address its current limitations.
Indexed as
ConnectomeAlgorithmsBrainDatabases, FactualDiffusion Tensor ImagingHumansImage Processing, Computer-AssistedReproducibility of Results
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