Visualization of fine white matter bundles in the living human brain with diffusion MRI using 500 mT/m gradient strength

Motivation: There is a pressing need to move beyond the brain major white matter fasciculi in our understanding and characterization of human connectional neuroanatomy. Goal(s): To perform initial in vivo high-resolution diffusion MRI on the next-generation Connectome 2.0 scanner equipped with 500 mT/m gradient strength. Approach: We acquired 1-mm isotropic dMRI in one healthy subject on Connectome 2.0 and evaluated its capabilities in characterizing fine fiber bundles in comparison to Connectome 1.0. Results: The SNR boost enabled by the Connectome 2.0 stronger gradient system allows resolution of fine white matter structures in deep brain regions and near the gray-white interface. Impact: The ability to characterize fine white matter circuitry in the living human brain within reasonable scan times opens new possibilities for investigating their role in psychiatric and neurological disorders and enables the application of clinical interventions that target these pathways.