Investig Magn Reson Imaging.  2015 Sep;19(3):168-177. 10.13104/imri.2015.19.3.168.

Intra-Rater and Inter-Rater Reliability of Brain Surface Intensity Model (BSIM)-Based Cortical Thickness Analysis Using 3T MRI

• Jeon JY
• Moon WJ
• Moon YS
• Han SH

• KMID: 2175610
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.13104/imri.2015.19.3.168

Abstract

PURPOSE
Brain surface intensity model (BSIM)-based cortical thickness analysis does not require complicated 3D segmentation of brain gray/white matters. Instead, this technique uses the local intensity profile to compute cortical thickness. The aim of the present study was to evaluate intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of BSIM-based cortical thickness analysis using images from elderly participants.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fifteen healthy elderly participants (ages, 55-84 years) were included in this study. High-resolution 3D T1-spoiled gradient recalled-echo (SPGR) images were obtained using 3T MRI. BSIM-based processing steps included an inhomogeneity correction, intensity normalization, skull stripping, atlas registration, extraction of intensity profiles, and calculation of cortical thickness. Processing steps were automatic, with the exception of semiautomatic skull stripping. Individual cortical thicknesses were compared to a database indicating mean cortical thickness of healthy adults, in order to produce Z-score thinning maps. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated in order to evaluate inter-rater and intra-rater reliabilities.
RESULTS
ICCs for intra-rater reliability were excellent, ranging from 0.751-0.940 in brain regions except the right occipital, left anterior cingulate, and left and right cerebellum (ICCs = 0.65-0.741). Although ICCs for inter-rater reliability were fair to excellent in most regions, poor inter-rater correlations were observed for the cingulate and occipital regions. Processing time, including manual skull stripping, was 17.07 +/- 3.43 min. Z-score maps for all participants indicated that cortical thicknesses were not significantly different from those in the comparison databases of healthy adults.
CONCLUSION
BSIM-based cortical thickness measurements provide acceptable intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. We therefore suggest BSIM-based cortical thickness analysis as an adjunct clinical tool to detect cortical atrophy.

Keyword

Volumetry; Cortical thickness; Magnetic resonance (MR); Alzheimer's disease (AD)

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Atrophy
Brain*
Cerebellum
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Skull

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Comparison of intra- and inter-rater reliability for cortical thickness and Z-scores in different brain regions.

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  Fig. 2 Scatter plots of cortical thickness measurements using CorThick analysis software. (a) Comparison of 2 sessions by rater 1 (R = 0.817, P < 0.01). (b) Comparison between rater 1 and rater 2 (R = 0.562, P < 0.001).

• 

  Fig. 3 Cortical thickness map (a) and Z-score map (b) using CorThick analysis software, with comparison between rater 1 and rater 2. Right lateral, left lateral, right medial, and left medial surfaces are shown (left to right).

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