Open AccessReproducibility of tract‐based white matter microstructural measures using the ENIGMA ‐ DTI protocol
Author(s) -
Acheson Ashley,
Wijtenburg S. Andrea,
Rowland Laura M.,
Winkler Anderson,
Mathias Charles W.,
Hong L. Elliot,
Jahanshad Neda,
Patel Binish,
Thompson Paul M.,
McGuire Stephen A.,
Sherman Paul M.,
Kochunov Peter,
Dougherty Donald M.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
brain and behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 41
ISSN - 2162-3279
DOI - 10.1002/brb3.615
Subject(s) - reproducibility , fractional anisotropy , intraclass correlation , white matter , diffusion mri , fornix , sample size determination , psychology , medicine , magnetic resonance imaging , statistics , mathematics , radiology , hippocampus
Background In preparation for longitudinal analyses of white matter development in youths with family histories of substance use disorders ( FH +) or without such histories ( FH −), we examined the reproducibility and reliability of global and regional measures of fractional anisotropy ( FA ) values, measured using the Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics Through Meta Analysis ( ENIGMA )‐diffusion tensor imaging ( DTI ) protocol. Highly reliable measures are necessary to detect any subtle differences in brain development. Methods First, we analyzed reproducibility data in a sample of 12 healthy young adults (ages 20–28) imaged three times within a week. Next, we calculated the same metrics in data collected 1‐year apart in the sample of 68 FH + and 21 FH − adolescents. This is a timeframe where within subject changes in white matter microstructure are small compared to between subject variance. Reproducibility was estimated by examining mean coefficients of variation ( MCV ), mean absolute differences ( MAD ), and intraclass correlations ( ICC ) for global and tract‐specific FA values. Results We found excellent reproducibility for whole‐brain DTI ‐ FA values and most of the white matter tracts, except for the corticospinal tract and the fornix in both adults and youths. There was no significant effect of FH ‐group on reproducibility ( p = .4). Reproducibility metrics were not significantly different between adolescents and adults (all p > .2). In post hoc analyses, the reproducibility metrics for regional FA values showed a strong positive correlation ( r = .6) with the regional FA heritability measures previously reported by ENIGMA ‐ DTI . Conclusion Overall, this study demonstrated an excellent reproducibility of ENIGMA ‐ DTI FA , positing it as viable analysis tools for longitudinal studies and other protocols that repeatedly assess white matter microstructure.