Multi-scale brain connectivity with diffusion MRI

In this thesis data acquired using diffusion-weighted imaging were analysed to study the anatomical connectivity of the brain both non-invasively and in vivo. The main goal of this research was to combine both the micro and the macroscopic information which can be obtained by diffusion imaging to reconstruct a reliable model of brain’s white matter organization both at its micro and macro-structural level. Recent developments have shown that, by using diffusion imaging, it is possible to infer not just the macroscopic organization of white matter, but also its microscopic properties such as axonal diameters. This can be used once more to improve the models of brain connectivity and the early diagnosis of certain neurological diseases