Fractal dimension analysis of MR images reveals grey matter structure irregularities in schizophrenia

Comput Med Imaging Graph. 2008 Mar;32(2):150-8. doi: 10.1016/j.compmedimag.2007.10.005. Epub 2007 Dec 18.

Abstract

The fractal dimension (FD) was used to reveal brain structure irregularities in patients with schizophrenia. FD provides a unique way of quantifying the shape complexity of cortical folding of the human brain. MR images were obtained from seven patients with schizophrenia that were compared with six healthy control subjects. The MR images were first segmented, and the FD was calculated for the grey/white matter boundary for the whole brain and the hemispheres separately, using the box-counting and Minkowski-Bouligand methods. The results showed that the patients had larger FD values than the controls, for the whole brain volume and right hemisphere.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Algorithms
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Female
  • Fractals
  • Humans
  • Image Enhancement / methods
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional / methods*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Male
  • Neurons / pathology*
  • Pattern Recognition, Automated / methods*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Schizophrenia / pathology*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity