Region of interest based analysis of functional imaging data

Neuroimage. 2003 Aug;19(4):1303-16. doi: 10.1016/s1053-8119(03)00188-5.

Abstract

fMRI analysis techniques are presented that test functional hypotheses at the region of interest (ROI) level. An SPM-compatible Matlab toolbox has been developed that allows the creation of subject-specific ROI masks based on anatomical markers and the testing of functional hypotheses on the regional response using multivariate time-series analysis techniques. The combined application of subject-specific ROI definition and region-level functional analysis is shown to appropriately compensate for intersubject anatomical variability, offering finer localization and increased sensitivity to task-related effects than standard techniques based on whole-brain normalization and voxel or cluster-level functional analysis, while providing a more direct link between discrete brain region hypotheses and the statistical analyses used to test them.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Artifacts
  • Brain Mapping / methods*
  • Cerebral Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional / methods*
  • Linear Models
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Mathematical Computing
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Neural Networks, Computer