Using Diffusion Tractography to Predict Cortical Connection Strength and Distance: A Quantitative Comparison with Tracers in the Monkey

Tractography based on diffusion MRI has great potential for a variety of applications, including estimation of comprehensive maps of neural connections in the brain ("connectomes"). Here, we describe methods to assess quantitatively tractography's performance in detecting interareal cortical connections and estimating connection strength by comparing it against published results using neuroanatomical tracers. We found the correlation of tractography's estimated connection strengths versus tracer to be twice that of a previous study. Using a novel method for calculating interareal cortical distances, we show that tractography-based estimates of connection strength have useful predictive power beyond just interareal separation. By freely sharing these methods and datasets, we provide a valuable resource for future studies in cortical connectomics.