Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41491916›Full record

ReviewBrain structure & function2026

Diffusion tractography outside the brain: the road less travelled.

Kurt G Schilling, Irvin Teh, Julien Cohen-Adad, Richard Dortch, Ibrahim Ibrahim, Nian Wang, Bruce Damon, Rory L Cochran, Alexander Leemans

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Brain structure & function, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

9 authors.

Kurt G SchillingVanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA. kurt.g.schilling.1@vanderbilt.edu.
Irvin TehLeeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine (LICAMM), University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Julien Cohen-AdadNeuroPoly Lab, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Richard DortchDepartment of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
Ibrahim IbrahimInstitute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, MR Unit, Prague, Czech Republic.
Nian WangAdvanced Imaging Research Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
Bruce DamonCarle Clinical Imaging Research Program, Stephens Family Clinical Research Institute, Carle Health, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
Rory L CochranDepartment of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, MassGeneral Brigham, Boston, MA, USA.
Alexander LeemansPROVIDI Lab, Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Funding

Characterization of Whole Brain Demyelination and Axon Damage Using High-resolution Magnetic Resonance ImagingR01NS125020 · NINDS · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · PI Nian Wang · 2022 to 2026
$2.0M
Diffusion MRI Biomarkers of Peripheral Nerve TraumaR61NS127268 · NINDS · ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER · PI DORTCH, RICHARD, MAHAN, MARK · 2023 to 2024
$1.6M
Microstructure and connectivity modeling from the cortex to the spinal cord in Multiple SclerosisK01EB032898 · NIBIB · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI SCHILLING, KURT G · 2022 to 2025
$630k
Canada Foundation for Innovation 32454, 34824Canada Research Chair in Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging CRC-2020-00179Canadian Institute of Health Research PJT-190258, PJT-203803Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Santé 322736, 324636Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic No. NW 24-08-00086Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada RGPIN-2019-07244NIBIB NIH HHS K01 EB032898NIH HHS K01EB032898NIH HHS R01NS125020NIH HHS R61NS127268NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS125020NINDS NIH HHS R61 NS127268U.S. Department of Defense PR211292
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Diffusion tractography is a powerful MRI technique for mapping fibrous tissue architecture, traditionally applied to the white matter of the brain. This report surveys the growing application of tractography to anatomical structures outside the brain, a domain that presents both unique challenges and unique opportunities. We examine its use in the heart, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, brachial plexus, kidney, skeletal muscle, and prostate. For each region, we detail the necessary methodological adaptations for acquisition, modeling, and processing, and highlight the unique anatomical information that can be derived for research and clinical applications. While significant challenges remain - spanning technical hurdles like physiological motion and susceptibility artifacts, to biological complexities like lower anisotropy and the interpretation of streamline validity - tractography beyond the brain provides invaluable, non-invasive insights into tissue micro-organization, opening a new frontier for biomedical imaging.

Indexed as

Diffusion Tensor ImagingAnimalsBrachial PlexusBrainHeartHumansKidneyMaleMuscle, SkeletalPeripheral NervesProstateSpinal CordBrachial PlexusHeartKidneyPeripheral NervesProstateSkeletal MuscleSpinal CordTractography

Identifiers

PMID41491916
PMCPMC12769612

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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 Socratic graph.