[Insight-developers] Members in itkSymmetricSecondRankTensor vs. itkDiffusionTensor3D

[Torsten Rohlfing]

Hi --

I have been playing with the recently added tensor data structures, and 
I was wondering: wouldn't it make sense to move some of the member in 
itkDiffusionTensor3D to itkSymmetricSecondRankTensor? I am talking in 
particular about GetTrace(), GetFractionalAnisotropy(), 
GetRelativeAnisotropy(). All these can easily be defined for an 
arbitrary symmetric rank-2 tensor. The trace is even a general concept 
that is not specific to DTI. I can see why one would think that the 
anisotropy measures are connected to the idea of diffusion, but they can 
easily be computed for non-diffusion related tensors, and maybe they'll 
be useful there, too?

Best,
  Torsten

-- 
Torsten Rohlfing, PhD          SRI International, Neuroscience Program
 Research Scientist             333 Ravenswood Ave, Menlo Park, CA 94025
  Phone: ++1 (650) 859-3379      Fax: ++1 (650) 859-2743
   torsten at synapse.sri.com        http://www.stanford.edu/~rohlfing/

     "Though this be madness, yet there is a method in't"