Physiological noise and signal-to-noise ratio in fMRI with multi-channel array coils

Sensitivity in BOLD fMRI is characterized by the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the time-series (tSNR), which contains fluctuations from thermal and physiological noise sources. Alteration of an acquisition parameter can affect the tSNR differently depending on the relative magnitude of the physiological and thermal noise, therefore knowledge of this ratio is essential for optimizing fMRI acquisitions. In this study, we compare image and time-series SNR from array coils at 3T with and without parallel imaging (GRAPPA) as a function of image resolution and acceleration. We use the "absolute unit" SNR method of Kellman and McVeigh to calculate the image SNR (SNR(0)) in a way that renders it comparable to tSNR, allowing determination of the thermal to physiological noise ratio, and the pseudo-multiple replica method to quantify the image noise alterations due to the GRAPPA reconstruction. The Kruger and Glover noise model, in which the physiological noise standard deviation is proportional to signal strength, was found to hold for the accelerated and non-accelerated array coil data. Thermal noise dominated the EPI time-series for medium to large voxel sizes for single-channel and 12-channel head coil configurations, but physiological noise dominated the 32-channel array acquisition even at 1 mm × 1mm × 3 mm resolution. At higher acceleration factors, image SNR is reduced and the time-series becomes increasingly thermal noise dominant. However, the tSNR reduction is smaller than the reduction in image SNR due to the presence of physiological noise.     

Improving whole brain structural MRI at 4.7 Tesla using 4 irregularly shaped receiver coils

Both higher magnetic field strengths (> or =3 T) and multiple receiver "array coils" can provide increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for MRI. This increase in SNR can be used to obtain images with higher resolution, enabling better visualisation of structures within the human brain. However, high field strength systems also suffer from increased B(1) non-uniformity and increased power deposition, reaching specific absorption rate (SAR) limits more quickly. For these problems to be mitigated, a careful choice of both the pulse sequence design and transmit RF coil is required. This paper describes the use of a prototype array coil consisting of 4 irregularly shaped coils within a standard configuration for neuroimaging at 4.7 T (a head transmit/receive volume coil to minimise SAR and a head gradient insert for maximum gradient performance). With a fast spin echo (FSE) pulse sequence optimised for 4.7 T, this provides dramatically increased quality and resolution over a large brain volume. Using the array coil, a SNR improvement relative to the volume coil of 1-1.5 times in central brain areas and 2-3 times in cortical regions was obtained. Array coil images with a resolution of 352 x 352 x 2000 mum had a SNR of 16.0 to 26.2 in central regions and 19.9 to 34.8 in cortical areas. Such images easily demonstrate cortical myeloarchitecture, while still covering most of the brain in a approximately 12 min scan.     

利用颅脑射频线圈进行大鼠磁共振成像

目的 研究3.0T磁共振成像系统中大鼠脑部射频线圈.方法 提出一种设计线圈结构的方案,采用高等于直径的鞍型线圈,研究直径为5 cm的大鼠脑部线圈减小电容和分布电容,可使线圈带宽减小,提高线圈品质的因素(Q).将线圈与人体头部线圈和体部线圈分别对自制的模型利用同一序列进行扫描,对三组图像选择同一位置的图像,比较各线圈的信噪比(SNR).观察图像的质量,应用大鼠颅脑模型分别进行轴位、矢状位和冠状位T1W FLAIR或T2W扫描.结果 线圈的SNR比现有的头部线圈高5倍以上.大鼠图像能很好地显示脑室结构,可清楚分辨脑部的灰质和白质.结论 利用所设计的线圈可获得具有很高SNR的图像,在大鼠脑部影像研究中取得了很好的效果.     

初步探讨磁共振显微线圈在眼眶软组织肿块诊断中的应用价值

目的：对比16通道头颅线圈及显微线圈眼部软组织肿块磁共振成像特征,初步探讨磁共振显微线圈在眼科的临床应用价值.材料与方法：本次研究中,分别应用16通道头颅线圈及显微线圈,对20例临床疑是眼眶内占位性病变的患者进行磁共振眼部成像.所有图像采集均应用1.5T磁共振扫描仪,接收线圈为显微线圈（直径47mm）及常规头颅线圈.对病灶的定性分析包括对肿块的数量、大小、位置、范围、边界、形态学细节、生长方式及其与周边组织间关系的评估.对病灶的定量分析主要是对比两种线圈成像信噪比（SNR）.结果：对比16通道头颅线圈,磁共振显微线圈能清晰展示肿块与周边组织间的关系（z=-4.3589）、肿块的内部特征（z=-4.3589）、肿块的范围及其边界（z=-4.1231）,研究结果基本与术中观察一致.此外,那些不容易被常规头颅表面线圈检出的小肿块,较易被显微线圈检出（n=5）.显微线圈对病变显示的图像信噪比（SNR）明显高于常规头颅表面线圈（z--3.9199）.结论：磁共振显微线圈的应用,有利于正确评估眼部软组织肿块及其与周边组织的关系,为手术术式及治疗方案的选择提供一些客观证据.     

Advances in magnetic resonance neuroimaging techniques in the evaluation of neonatal encephalopathy

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has become an essential tool in the evaluation of neonatal encephalopathy. Magnetic resonance-compatible neonatal incubators allow sick neonates to be transported to the MR scanner, and neonatal head coils can improve signal-to-noise ratio, critical for advanced MR imaging techniques. Refinement of conventional imaging techniques include the use of PROPELLER techniques for motion correction. Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging and diffusion tensor imaging provide quantitative assessment of both brain development and brain injury in the newborn with respect to metabolite abnormalities and hypoxic-ischemic injury. Knowledge of normal developmental changes in MR spectroscopy metabolite concentration and diffusion tensor metrics is essential to interpret pathological cases. Perfusion MR and functional MR can provide additional physiological information. Both MR spectroscopy and diffusion tensor imaging can provide additional information in the differential of neonatal encephalopathy, including perinatal white matter injury, hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, metabolic disease, infection, and birth injury.     

临床用肢端柔性表面线圈和相控阵线圈在小动物磁共振成像中的性能比较

目的对比肢端柔性线圈和相控阵线圈非并行采集及并行采集技术在小动物实验中对图像质量的影响。方法10只Wistar大鼠,分别用西门子标配的临床用正交柔性肢端线圈和相控阵肢端线圈在同一扫描参数的条件下用于头部信号采集,同时在肢端相控阵线圈采集中采用并行采集技术再获得相同的图像,然后对三组图像选择同一层面进行SNR的比较。结果正交柔性线圈和4通道肢端相控阵线圈采集的图像信噪比有明显的差异,正交柔性线圈能获得更高的图像信噪比,而肢端相控阵线圈非并行采集与并行采集技术(R=2)所获得的图像信噪比没有差异,但采用并行采集技术能极大地减少扫描时间。结论小动物实验在线圈的选用上,线圈的填充因数对图像质量的影响更大,但相控阵线圈与并行采集技术合用可以极大地减少成像时间。     

Theoretical analysis of magnetic wall decoupling method for radiative antenna arrays in ultrahigh magnetic field MRI

Radiative antenna techniques, e.g., dipole and monopole, have been proposed for radiofrequency (RF) coil array designs in ultrahigh field MRI to obtain stronger B₁ field and higher signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) gain in the areas deep inside human head or body. It is known that element decoupling performance is crucial to SNR and parallel imaging ability of array coil and has been a challenging issue in radiative antenna array designs for MR imaging. Magnetic wall or induced current elimination (ICE) technique has proven to be a simple and effective way of achieving sufficient decoupling for radiative array coils experimentally. In this study, this decoupling technique for radiative coil array was analyzed theoretically and verified by a simulation study. The decoupling conditions were derived and obtained from the theory. By applying the predicated decoupling conditions, the isolation of two radiative elements could be improved from about ? 8 dB to better than ? 35 dB. The decoupling performance has also been validated by current distribution along the radiative elements and magnetic field profiles in a water phantom. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part B (Magn Reson Engineering) 45B: 183–190, 2015     

Initial demonstration of in vivo tracing of axonal projections in the macaque brain and comparison with the human brain using diffusion tensor imaging and fast marching tractography

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a magnetic resonance imaging technique, is used to infer major axonal projections in the macaque and human brain. This study investigates the feasibility of using known macaque anatomical connectivity as a "gold-standard" for the evaluation of DTI tractography methods. Connectivity information is determined from the DTI data using fast marching tractography (FMT), a novel tract-tracing (tractography) method. We show for the first time that it is possible to determine, in an entirely noninvasive manner, anatomical connection pathways and maps of an anatomical connectivity metric in the macaque brain using a standard clinical scanner and that these pathways are consistent with known anatomy. Analogous human anatomical connectivity is also presented for the first time using the FMT method, and the results are compared. The current limitations of the methodology and possibilities available for further studies are discussed.     

Anatomical insights into disrupted small-world networks in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is characterized by lowered efficiency in distributed information processing, as indicated by research that identified a disrupted small-world functional network. However, whether the dysconnection manifested by the disrupted small-world functional network is reflected in underlying anatomical disruption in schizophrenia remains unresolved. This study examined the topological properties of human brain anatomical networks derived from diffusion tensor imaging in patients with schizophrenia and in healthy controls. We constructed the weighted brain anatomical network for each of 79 schizophrenia patients and for 96 age and gender matched healthy subjects using diffusion tensor tractography and calculated the topological properties of the networks using a graph theoretical method. The topological properties of the patients' anatomical networks were altered, in that global efficiency decreased but local efficiency remained unchanged. The deleterious effects of schizophrenia on network performance appear to be localized as reduced regional efficiency in hubs such as the frontal associative cortices, the paralimbic/limbic regions and a subcortical structure (the left putamen). Additionally, scores on the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale correlated negatively with efficient network properties in schizophrenia. These findings suggest that complex brain network analysis may potentially be used to detect an imaging biomarker for schizophrenia.     

3.0 T plaque imaging

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this article is to evaluate 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging for characterization of vessel morphology and plaque composition. Emphasis is placed on early and moderate stages of carotid atherosclerosis, where increases in signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise (CNR) ratios compared with 1.5 T are sought. Comparison of in vivo 3.0 T imaging to histopathology is performed for validation. Parallel acceleration methods applied with an 8-channel carotid array are investigated as well as higher field ex vivo imaging to explore even further gains. The overall endeavor is to improve prospective assessment of atherosclerosis stage and stability for reduction of atherothrombotic event risk. METHODS: A total of 10 male and female subjects ranging in age from 22 to 72 years (5 healthy and 5 with cardiovascular disease) participated. Custom-built array coils were used with endogenous and exogenous multicontrast bright and black-blood protocols for 3.0 T carotid imaging. Comparisons were performed to 1.5 T, and ex vivo plaque was stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histology. Imaging (9.4 T) was also performed on intact specimens. RESULTS: The factor of 2 gain in signal-to-noise SNR is realized compared with 1.5 T along with improved wall-lumen and plaque component CNR. Post-contrast black-blood imaging within 5-10 minutes of gadolinium injection is optimal for detection of the necrotic lipid component. In a preliminary 18-month follow-up study, this method provided measurement of a 50% reduction in lipid content with minimal change in plaque size in a subject receiving aggressive statin therapy. Parallel imaging applied with signal averaging further improves 3.0 T black-blood vessel wall imaging. CONCLUSIONS: The use of 3.0 T for carotid plaque imaging has demonstrated increases in SNR and CNR compared with 1.5 T. Quantitative prospective studies of moderate and early plaques are feasible at 3.0 T. Continued improvements in coil arrays, 3-dimensional pulse sequences, and the use of novel molecular imaging agents implemented at high field will further improve magnetic resonance plaque characterization.     

Improved BOLD detection in the medial temporal region using parallel imaging and voxel volume reduction

Using gradient-echo EPI, signal dropout due to macroscopic off resonance effects can prevent blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) signal change detection. The anterior medial temporal lobe (MTL) is located near these susceptibility gradients and therefore shows considerable signal dropout with GE-EPI. Reducing the volume of the image voxel reduces susceptibility-related signal dropout. However, this is accompanied by a prohibitive reduction in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). To compensate for SNR loss with smaller voxels, we used a multi-channel MRI receiver with an array of receive-only 16-element surface coils at 3 T. We demonstrate that the reduction of susceptibility artifacts, through use of high resolution images, coupled with the gains in image SNR from the array coil improves the temporal signal-to-noise ratio (TSNR) and enhances the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Furthermore, a comparison of 2 mm with 4-mm-thick axial images both with the same in-plane resolution showed that thinner slices enhanced TSNR and CNR throughout the ventral-medial regions of the temporal lobes, with the greatest improvement in the most anterior regions of the MTL. Further improvements were seen when adjacent 2 mm slices were combined to match overall voxel volume. These results demonstrate that BOLD investigation of anterior MTL function can be enhanced by decreasing voxel size but only in combination with the SNR gained by using the 16-channel head coil system.     

猪体外冠状动脉管壁高分辨MR成像

目的 利用1.5T MR扫描仪寻求简单易行的体外冠状动脉管壁成像程序.方法 对10个猪心行冠状动脉MR检查.以3D FIESTA序列行前降支成像,分别选择8通道头部线圈、膝关节线圈、颞下颌关节表面线圈行2D SE T1WI, 成像参数均相同,之后用颞下颌关节表面线圈,采用384×256和512×512的矩阵行T1WI.注入对比剂后,分别使用不同的NEX行SE T1WI、PDWI和frFSE T2WI.测量前降支近段管壁、管腔、前降支周围心外膜下的脂肪结缔组织、前降支邻近的室间隔心肌的信号强度,并测量周围空气的信号强度作为背景噪声,计算图像的信噪比(SNR)和冠状动脉管壁对管腔的对比噪声比(CNR1)及冠状动脉管壁对周围心外膜下脂肪结缔组织的对比噪声比(CNR2).结果 颞下颌关节表面线圈成像前降支管壁SE T1WI的SNR和CNR1、CNR2明显高于8通道头线圈和膝关节线圈.384×256矩阵所得的SE T1WI的SNR和CNR1、CNR2明显高于512×512矩阵.NEX为3时图像的SNR和CNR1、CNR2最高.结论 选择颞下颌关节表面线圈、384×256的矩阵、3个NEX可以得到良好的SNR和CNR.     

固定小动物脑标本单次激发回波平面扩散张量成像中磁化率伪影的控制

目的探讨福尔马林固定的小动物脑标本在单次激发回波平面扩散张量成像中如何通过合适的放置方法减少由于磁化率效应诱导的解剖结构的几何变形。方法运用3T磁共振扫描仪和正交腕关节线圈，采用单次激发回波平面扩散张量成像序列扫描猫、大鼠脑标本，观察何种放置方法获得的DTI图像相对于常规T2加权图像有最小的几何变形。结果将标本浸入装有溶液的容器的中央，用支架托起和丝网分别托起的猫和鼠脑标本DTI图像与常规T2图像比较没有明显的几何变形。结论运用合适的放置方法可以获得理想的固定小动物脑标本DTI成像效果。     

Characterizing function-structure relationships in the human visual system with functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging

A key objective in neuroscience is to improve our understanding of the relationship between brain function and structure. We investigated this in the posterior visual pathways of healthy volunteers by applying functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with tractography. The optic radiations were segmented using the Probabilistic Index of Connectivity (PICo) tractography algorithm and extracted at several thresholds of connection confidence. The mean fractional anisotropy (FA) of the estimated tracts was found to correlate significantly with fMRI measures of visual cortex activity (induced by a photic stimulation paradigm). The results support the hypothesis that the visual cortical fMRI response is constrained by the external anatomical connections of the subserving optic radiations.     

Validation of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance axonal fiber imaging with registered manganese-enhanced optic tracts.

Noninvasive mapping of white matter tracts using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTMRI) is potentially useful in revealing anatomical connectivity in the human brain. However, a gold standard for validating DTMRI in defining axonal fiber orientation is still lacking. This study presents the first validation of the principal eigenvector of the diffusion tensor in defining axonal fiber orientation by superimposing DTMRI with manganese-enhanced MRI of optic tracts. A rat model was developed in which optic tracts were enhanced by manganese ions. Manganese ion (Mn(2+)) is a potent T1-shortening agent and can be uptaken and transported actively along the axon. Based on this property, we obtained enhanced optic tracts with a T1-weighted spin-echo sequence 10 h after intravitreal injection of Mn(2+). The images were compared with DTMRI acquired with exact spatial registration. Deviation angles between tangential vectors of the enhanced tracts and the principal eigenvectors of the diffusion tensor were then computed pixel by pixel. We found that under signal-to-noise (SNR) of 30, the variance of deviation angles was (13.27 degrees). In addition, the dependence of this variance on SNR obeys stochastic behavior if SNR is greater than 10. Based on this relation, we estimated that an rms deviation of less than 10 degrees could be achieved with DTMRI when SNR is 40 or greater. In conclusion, our method bypasses technical difficulties in conventional histological approach and provides an in vivo gold standard for validating DTMRI in mapping white matter tracts.     

Event-related single-shot volumetric functional magnetic resonance inverse imaging of visual processing

Developments in multi-channel radio-frequency (RF) coil array technology have enabled functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with higher degrees of spatial and temporal resolution. While modest improvement in temporal acceleration has been achieved by increasing the number of RF coils, the maximum attainable acceleration in parallel MRI acquisition is intrinsically limited only by the amount of independent spatial information in the combined array channels. Since the geometric configuration of a large-n MRI head coil array is similar to that used in EEG electrode or MEG SQUID sensor arrays, the source localization algorithms used in MEG or EEG source imaging can be extended to also process MRI coil array data, resulting in greatly improved temporal resolution by minimizing k-space traversal during signal acquisition. Using a novel approach, we acquire multi-channel MRI head coil array data and then apply inverse reconstruction methods to obtain volumetric fMRI estimates of blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrast at unprecedented whole-brain acquisition rates of 100 ms. We call this combination of techniques magnetic resonance Inverse Imaging (InI), a method that provides estimates of dynamic spatially-resolved signal change that can be used to construct statistical maps of task-related brain activity. We demonstrate the sensitivity and inter-subject reliability of volumetric InI using an event-related design to probe the hemodynamic signal modulations in primary visual cortex. Robust results from both single subject and group analyses demonstrate the sensitivity and feasibility of using volumetric InI in high temporal resolution investigations of human brain function.     

Nonlinear microstructural changes in the right superior temporal sulcus and lateral occipitotemporal gyrus between 35 and 43weeks in the preterm brain

Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), we explored microstructural brain maturation in a population of 65 preterm neonates who underwent magnetic resonance imaging between 35 and 43weeks of corrected gestational age. A voxel-based analysis approach, statistical parametric mapping (SPM8), was used to evidence the nonlinear changes with the corrected gestational age in the regional distribution of mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), longitudinal and transverse diffusivities (λ//and λ⊥). We found that FA changes nonlinearly with age around the right superior temporal sulcus and in the right lateral occipitotemporal gyrus, with FA decrease between 34 and 39weeks followed by FA increase from 40weeks to 43weeks. Considering the key role of these brain areas in verbal and non-verbal communicative behaviors, the effect of these microstructural changes in terms of early social network functional maturation needs to be assessed by joint functional and anatomical studies.     

头线圈与眼表面线圈对眼球MR成像质量影响的对比研究

目的通过筛选环形眼表面线圈对眼球成像的最佳扫描参数、对比头线圈与眼表面线圈对眼球MRI质量的影响,优化眼球MRI扫描参数。材料与方法应用环形眼表面线圈采用不同参数组合对体模进行FSET1WI、T2WI（FOV分别为18cm×18cm、10cm×10cm、8cm×8cm,层厚分别为4.0mm、3.0mm、2.0mm）和FSPGR序列（FOV分别为18cm×18cm、10cm×10cm、8cm×8cm,层厚分别为3.2mm、2.8mm、2.4mm）扫描,筛选出环形眼表面线圈的最佳扫描参数,然后分别用环形眼表面线圈和头线圈对10名健康志愿者行横断面FSET2WI,计算图像的SNR、CNR和空间分辨率,并进行统计学处理。结果 （1）体模实验结果：FSE序列采用层厚/间距4.0mm/0.5mm、矩阵288×224、NEX2、FOV分别为18cm×18cm、10cm×10cm、8cm×8cm时体模图像空间分辨率分别是0.80mm、0.45mm、0.36mm,FSET2WI的SNR分别是241.10、94.01、56.90,FSET1WI的SNR分别是805.22、234.71、156.88;FSE序列采用FOV10cm×10cm、矩阵288×224、NEX2、层厚/间距分别为4.0mm/0.5mm、3.0mm/0.3mm、2.0mm/0.2mm时,FSET2WI的SNR分别是94.01、71.57、51.40,FSET1WI的SNR分别是223.34、183.80、130.43;FSPGR序列采用层厚/间距3.2mm/0mm、矩阵288×224、NEX2、FOV分别为18cm×18cm、10cm×10cm、8cm×8cm时,图像SNR分别是263.69、95.40、67.35;FSPGR序列扫描参数FOV10cm×10cm、矩阵288×224、NEX2不变,层厚/间距分别为3.2mm/0mm、2.8mm/0mm、2.4mm/0mm时SNR分别是95.40、93.44、67.39。（2）健康志愿者实验结果：FSE序列T2WIFOV分别为18cm×18cm、10cm×10cm时,所得环形眼表面线圈图像SNR分别是166.22±45.17、65.17±4.99,CNR分别是142.09±43.58、54.98±5.48,头线圈图像SNR分别是70.53±6.58、9.79±0.87,CNR分别是57.20±2.58、6.35±0.34;环形眼表面线圈FOV分别为18cm×18cm、10cm×10cm时,所得图像SNR分别是相应头线圈的2.36倍（P〈0.01）、6.66倍（P〈0.01）,CNR分别是2.48倍（P〈0.01）、8.66倍（P〈0.01）,环形眼表面线圈FOV为10cm×10cm时,所得图像SNR与头线圈FOV为18cm×18cm时的图像无显著性差异（P〉0.05）,但此时环形眼表面线圈图像的空间分辨率（0.45mm）高于头线圈图像（0.8mm）。结论眼球MRI检查推荐使用环形眼表面线圈（FOV10cm×10cm）或头线圈（FOV18cm×18cm）,采用FSE序列、层厚/间距：4mm/0.5mm、矩阵288×224、NEX2。3..     

Spatially variable Rician noise in magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic resonance images tend to be influenced by various random factors usually referred to as "noise". The principal sources of noise and related artefacts can be divided into two types: arising from hardware (acquisition coil arrays, gradient coils, field inhomogeneity); and arising from the subject (physiological noise including body motion, cardiac pulsation or respiratory motion). These factors negatively affect the resolution and reproducibility of the images. Therefore, a proper noise treatment is important for improving the performance of clinical and research investigations. Noise reduction becomes especially critical for the images with a low signal-to-noise ratio, such as those typically acquired in diffusion tensor imaging at high diffusion weightings. The standard methods of signal correction usually assume a uniform distribution of the standard deviation of the noise across the image and evaluate a single correction parameter for the whole image. We pursue a more advanced approach based on the assumption of an inhomogeneous distribution of noise in space and evaluate correction factors for each voxel individually. The Rician nature of the underlying noise is considered for low and high signal-to-noise ratios. The approach developed here has been examined using numerical simulations and in vivo brain diffusion tensor imaging experiments. The efficacy and usefulness of this approach is demonstrated here and the resultant effective tool is described.     

Subcortical pathways serving cortical language sites: initial experience with diffusion tensor imaging fiber tracking combined with intraoperative language mapping

The combination of mapping functional cortical neurons by intraoperative cortical stimulation and axonal architecture by diffusion tensor MRI fiber tracking can be used to delineate the pathways between functional regions. In this study the authors investigated the feasibility of combining these techniques to yield connectivity associated with motor speech and naming. Diffusion tensor MRI fiber tracking provides maps of axonal bundles and was combined with intraoperative mapping of eloquent cortex for a patient undergoing brain tumor surgery. Tracks from eight stimulated sites in the inferior frontal cortex including mouth motor, speech arrest, and anomia were generated from the diffusion tensor MRI data. The regions connected by the fiber tracking were compared to foci from previous functional imaging reports on language tasks. Connections were found between speech arrest, mouth motor, and anomia sites and the SMA proper and cerebral peduncle. The speech arrest and a mouth motor site were also seen to connect to the putamen via the external capsule. This is the first demonstration of delineation of subcortical pathways using diffusion tensor MRI fiber tracking with intraoperative cortical stimulation. The combined techniques may provide improved preservation of eloquent regions during neurological surgery, and may provide access to direct connectivity information between functional regions of the brain.