Color Rapid Prototyping for Diffusion-Tensor MRI Visualization

a) b) c) Fig. 1. (a,b) A plaster model showing areas of linear and planar water self-diffusion obtained from DT-MR images. (c) Detail of support structures (dark gray surfaces around tubes) for the streamtubes; these surfaces are created using the second and third eigenvectors of the tensors that produce the tubes. We describe work toward creating color rapid prototyping (RP) plaster models as visualization tools to support scientific research in diffusion-tensor (DT) MRI analysis. We currently give surgeons and neurologists virtual-reality (VR) applications to visualize different aspects of their brain data, but having physical representations of those virtual models allows them to review the data with a very robust, natural, and fast haptic interface: their own hands. Our initial results are encouraging, and end users are excited about the possibilities of this technique. For example, using these models in conjunction with digital models on the computer screen or VR environment provides a static frame of reference that helps keep users oriented during their analysis tasks. RP has been used in visualization largely for building molecular models to test assembly possibilities [1]. Nadeau et al. [4] created models of the human brain surface with the same RP techniques we use. Our approach, however, enables us to build inner brain structures.