System, Method, and Computer Program Product for Detecting Neurodegeneration Using Differential Tractography

A system comprising at least one server computer including at least one processor, the at least one server computer programmed and/or configured to:

• obtain a first diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain of the patient;
• obtain a plurality of diffusion MRI scans of a group of other brains;
• generate a control diffusion MRI scan based on the plurality of diffusion MRI scans of the group of other brains;
• determine a first anisotropy of first neural tracks of the first diffusion MRI scan and a second anisotropy of second neural tracks of the control diffusion MRI scan, wherein anisotropy is measured using an anisotropic spin distribution function and is a value of spin density of restricted anisotropic diffusion at a given diffusion orientation within a given displacement;
• determine a differential by comparing the first anisotropy to the second anisotropy;
• and
• identify at least one neurological disorder based on the differential and a location of the first neural tracks in the brain of the patient.

A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium including program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

• obtain a first diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain of the patient;
• obtain a plurality of diffusion MRI scans of a group of other brains;
• generate a control diffusion MRI scan based on the plurality of diffusion MRI scans of the group of other brains;
• determine a first anisotropy of first neural tracks of the first diffusion MRI scan and a second anisotropy of second neural tracks of the control diffusion MRI scan, wherein anisotropy is measured using an anisotropic spin distribution function and is a value of spin density of restricted anisotropic diffusion at a given diffusion orientation within a given displacement;
• determine a differential by comparing the first anisotropy to the second anisotropy;
• and
• identify at least one neurological disorder based on the differential and a location of the first neural tracks in the brain of the patient.