Scattered Light Imaging: Resolving the substructure of nerve fiber crossings in whole brain sections with micrometer resolution

• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117952
• Publication Date: 2021-03-12T09:04:39Z
• Authors: Miriam Menzel; Jan André Reuter; David Gräßel; Mike Huwer; Philipp Schlömer; Katrin Amunts; Markus Axer
• Keywords: Substructure; Micrometer

For developing a detailed network model of the brain based on image reconstructions, it is necessary to spatially resolve crossing nerve fibers. The accuracy hereby depends many factors, including spatial resolution imaging technique. 3D Polarized Light Imaging (3D-PLI) allows three-dimensional reconstruction fiber tracts in whole sections with micrometer in-plane resolution, but leaves uncertainties pixels containing Here we introduce Scattered (SLI) substructure crossings. measurement performed same unstained histological as 3D-PLI. By illuminating from different angles and measuring transmitted (scattered) light under normal incidence, SLI provides information about underlying structure. A fully automated evaluation resulting intensity profiles has been developed, allowing user extract various characteristics, like individual directions fibers, for each pixel at once. We validate reconstructed against results previous simulation studies, scatterometry measurements, obtained demonstrate samples (human optic tracts, vervet monkey brain, rat brain) that 2D can be reliably up three bundles an 6.5 $\mu$m. show also yields reliable regions low 3D-PLI signals coming density myelinated fibers or out-of-plane In combination 3D-PLI, technique used full architecture brain.