Stability Analysis in Pediatric Diagnostic Evaluation of Tuberous Dclerosis Complex via Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging

Motivation: Understanding how different MRI field strengths affect NODDI metrics is crucial for ensuring diagnostic stability in TSC. This study addresses the gap in knowledge regarding the impact of 3T and 5T MRI scanners on NODDI's diagnostic accuracy. Goal(s): To assess how varying MRI field strengths influence NODDI metrics (NDI, ODI, FA) in distinguishing TSC patients from healthy controls. Approach: A cross-sectional study comparing TSC patients and healthy controls using 3T-only and mixed 3T+5T data with TBSS and GBSS analyses. Results: NODDI metrics demonstrated consistent diagnostic performance across both datasets, confirming their robustness for TSC diagnosis. Impact: This study demonstrates that NODDI metrics, particularly NDI, are stable across different MRI field strengths, supporting their use in multi-center clinical studies. The findings may enhance TSC diagnosis and open avenues for further research into neurodevelopmental disorders.