Similarity Coloring of DTI Fiber Tracts

We present a coloring method that conveys spatial relations between DTI fiber tracts effectively; similar tracts are assigned to similar colors and different tracts are assigned to different colors in a smooth and continuous manner. To this end, we combine a standard spectral approach with a mass-spring heuristic to embed fiber tracts into a perceptually uniform color space, L*a*b*. We also introduce a new geometric bivariate coloring model, the flat torus, that allows finer adjustment of coloring arbitrarily. Results indicate that our method allows a quick evaluation of tract projections and facilitate demarcation of subtle anatomical divisions in fiber tracts.