Using space-filling curves and fractals to reveal spatial and temporal patterns in neuroimaging data

Objective. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI (fMRI) and other neuroimaging techniques are routinely used in medical diagnosis, cognitive neuroscience or recently in brain decoding. They produce three- or four-dimensional scans reflecting the geometry of brain tissue or activity, which is highly correlated temporally and spatially. While there exist numerous theoretically guided methods for analyzing correlations in one-dimensional data, they often cannot be readily generalized to the multidimensional geometrically embedded setting. Approach. We present a novel method, Fractal Space-Curve Analysis (FSCA), which combines Space-Filling Curve (SFC) mapping for dimensionality reduction with fractal Detrended Fluctuation Analysis. We conduct extensive feasibility studies on diverse, artificially generated data with known fractal characteristics: the fractional Brownian motion, Cantor sets, and Gaussian processes. We compare the suitability of dimensionality reduction via Hilbert SFC and a data-driven alternative. FSCA is then successfully applied to real-world MRI and fMRI scans. Main results. The method utilizing Hilbert curves is optimized for computational efficiency, proven robust against boundary effects typical in experimental data analysis, and resistant to data sub-sampling. It is able to correctly quantify and discern correlations in both stationary and dynamic two-dimensional images. In MRI Alzheimer’s dataset, patients reveal a progression of the disease associated with a systematic decrease of the Hurst exponent. In fMRI recording of breath-holding task, the change in the exponent allows distinguishing different experimental phases. Significance. This study introduces a robust method for fractal characterization of spatial and temporal correlations in many types of multidimensional neuroimaging data. Very few assumptions allow it to be generalized to more dimensions than typical for neuroimaging and utilized in other scientific fields. The method can be particularly useful in analyzing fMRI experiments to compute markers of pathological conditions resulting from neurodegeneration. We also showcase its potential for providing insights into brain dynamics in task-related experiments.