Automated Alignment of MRI Rodent Brain to Sterotaxic Atlases

描述（由申请人提供）：本授权申请，MRI啮齿动物大脑与立体定位酶的自动对齐，是响应PAR-07-417，神经成像信息学软件增强以提高互操作性和传播的R 03申请。该拨款建议修改现有的分析流，该分析流已针对啮齿动物的功能性MRI进行了优化，以便它可以广泛分布到神经成像社区。特别是，将提供软件来自动配准MRI数据，以标准化和广泛使用的啮齿动物立体定位坐标系，并提供基于组织学将解剖区域从图谱转录到MRI数据的方法。还将分发其他分析工具，包括使用一般线性模型进行集成第一级和第二级功能分析的四维显示。必须对软件进行修改，以便通过使用标准数据格式来加强互操作性，确保与其他分析软件包的整合，自动将专有地图集转换为适当格式，并建立版本控制和基于网络的用户报告。软件将作为开源软件在多个平台上发布。完成后将为所有从事功能或解剖MRI的研究者提供广泛有用的工具。这些工具将形成从啮齿动物数据采集到为人类MRI开发的更广泛的分析包的桥梁，从而提高啮齿动物神经成像的质量并降低转化研究的技术障碍。公共卫生相关性：啮齿动物是临床前研究正常生物学和病理学最常用的动物模型，MRI是临床前和临床工作的重要非侵入性成像工具。拟议的软件项目将在啮齿动物大脑的临床前MRI和为人类MRI开发的分析工具之间建立桥梁，从而提高啮齿动物神经成像的质量并降低转化研究的技术障碍。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This grant application, Automated Alignment of MRI rodent brain to Stereotaxic Atlases, is an R03 application in response to PAR-07-417, Neuroimaging Informatics Software Enhancement for Improved Interoperability and Dissemination. The grant proposes to modify an existing analysis stream that has been optimized for functional MRI in rodents, so that it can be widely distributed to the neuroimaging community. In particular, software will be provided to automate registration of MRI data to standardize and widely used stereotaxic coordinate systems in the rodent, and to provide the means for transcribing anatomical regions, based upon histology, from the atlases to the MRI data. Additional analysis tools, including a 4-dimensional display with integrated first-level and second-level functional analyses using the general linear model, will be distributed as well. Software modifications must be performed to enhance interoperability by using standard data formats, to ensure integration with other analysis packages, to automate conversion of proprietary atlases to a suitable format, and to establish version control and web-based user reporting. Software will be distributed as open source for multiple platforms. Completion will provide widely useful tools for all investigators engaged in functional or anatomical MRI. These tools will form a bridge from rodent data acquisition to the more extensive analysis packages that have been developed for human MRI, thus improving the quality of rodent neuro-imaging and lowering a technical barrier for translational studies. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Rodents are the most commonly employed animal model for pre-clinical studies of normal biology and pathology, and MRI is an important non-invasive imaging tool for both pre-clinical and clinical work. The proposed software project will form a bridge between pre-clinical MRI of the rodent brain and analysis tools developed for human MRI, thereby improving the quality of rodent neuro-imaging and lowering a technical barrier for translational studies.