{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T07:03:41Z","timestamp":1790060621385,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"Wiley","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789948800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789948800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Clinical Anatomy"],"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>White matter anatomy is investigated using methods that operate at markedly different spatial scales and rely on distinct biological and physical principles. Nevertheless, the term \u201cfiber\u201d is routinely applied to the outputs of tract\u2010tracing studies, diffusion MRI tractography, and postmortem fiber dissection, often as though these entities were directly interchangeable. This Viewpoint examines what a \u201cfiber\u201d represents in each methodological context. In tract tracing, the term refers to labeled axons or populations of axons at the cellular scale. In tractography, it denotes a mathematically reconstructed streamline based on local estimates of the preferential diffusion of water molecules across millimeter\u2010scale voxels. In fiber dissection, it refers to a small but macroscopically identifiable fascicle or bundle comprising numerous axons (\u201canatomical fiber\u201d). These entities differ substantially in scale, resolution, continuity, anatomical specificity, and inferential limitations. Failure to recognize these distinctions may generate apparent discrepancies between methods and lead to inaccurate interpretations of structural connectivity. A method\u2010 and scale\u2010aware use of terminology is therefore essential for integrating findings across experimental neuroanatomy, neuroimaging, and anatomical dissection, particularly when white matter anatomy is translated into neurosurgical planning and clinical decision\u2010making.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/ca.70229","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T06:17:26Z","timestamp":1790057846000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["What's a White Matter \u2018Fiber\u2019?"],"prefix":"10.1002","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2822-0035","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Guillaume","family":"Dannhoff","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Universit\u00e9 de Tours, INSERM, Imaging Brain &amp; Neuropsychiatry iBraiN U1253  Tours France"},{"name":"Centre Hospitalier R\u00e9gional Universitaire de Strasbourg  Strasbourg France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Frederic","family":"Andersson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Universit\u00e9 de Tours, INSERM, Imaging Brain &amp; Neuropsychiatry iBraiN U1253  Tours France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christophe","family":"Destrieux","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Universit\u00e9 de Tours, INSERM, Imaging Brain &amp; Neuropsychiatry iBraiN U1253  Tours France"},{"name":"Centre Hospitalier R\u00e9gional Universitaire de Tours  Tours France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6037-0407","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Igor Lima","family":"Maldonado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Universit\u00e9 de Tours, INSERM, Imaging Brain &amp; Neuropsychiatry iBraiN U1253  Tours France"},{"name":"Centre Hospitalier R\u00e9gional Universitaire de Tours  Tours France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_11_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1006\/jmrb.1994.1037"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0006-3495(94)80775-1"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/1522-2594(200010)44:4<625::AID-MRM17>3.0.CO;2-O"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2007.08.031"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.expneurol.2016.06.005"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/hbm.10130"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2015.06.016"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S1474-4422(08)70163-7"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.96.18.10422"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.media.2013.03.009"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2022.119199"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_13_1","unstructured":"Descoteaux M. K. G.Schilling D. B.Aydogan et\u00a0al.2025.Millennium Pathways for Tractography: 40 Grand Challenges to Shape the Future of Tractography."},{"key":"e_1_2_11_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2021.118417"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3171\/jns.2003.98.4.0764"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"265","DOI":"10.1007\/s00701-003-0199-7","article-title":"Intra\u2010Operative Mapping of the Subcortical Visual Pathways Using Direct Electrical Stimulations","volume":"146","author":"Duffau H.","year":"2004","journal-title":"Acta Neurochirurgica"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00429-020-02157-9"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1227\/01.neu.0000333767.05328.49"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/brain\/awac057"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_20_1","first-page":"247","article-title":"Erleichterung der makroskopischen Praeparation des Gehirns durch den Gefrierprozess","volume":"36","author":"Klingler J.","year":"1935","journal-title":"Schweizer Archiv f\u00fcr Neurologie und Psychiatrie"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00429-020-02041-6"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-017-01285-x"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00276-024-03409-7"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1227\/NEU.0b013e318274294b"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-7580.2011.01414.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2025.121125"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_27_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/1531-8249(199902)45:2<265::AID-ANA21>3.0.CO;2-3"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ase.2402"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature13186"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_30_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2015.05.039"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2016.09.029"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_32_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00429-020-02129-z"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_33_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2021.118502"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_34_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/acprof:oso\/9780195104233.001.0001"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_35_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/brain\/awl359"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_36_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2012.06.005"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_37_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13024-019-0308-6"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_38_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cortex.2011.10.001"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_39_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.abq2591"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_40_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/00006123-200008000-00028"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_41_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/00006123-199706000-00022"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_42_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jneumeth.2009.12.001"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_43_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9801","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-025-64788-y","article-title":"Brain Dissection Photogrammetry: A Tool for Studying Human White Matter Connections Integrating Ex\u00a0Vivo and in Vivo Multimodal Datasets","volume":"16","author":"Vavassori L.","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nature Communications"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_44_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s42254-021-00326-1"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_45_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brainres.2016.05.046"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_46_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2021.118651"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_47_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2022.119146"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_48_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00429-015-1050-7"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_49_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2014.09.016"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_50_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2021.118870"}],"container-title":["Clinical Anatomy"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/ca.70229","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1002\/ca.70229","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/ca.70229","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T06:17:29Z","timestamp":1790057849000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/ca.70229"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]]},"references-count":49,"alternative-id":["10.1002\/ca.70229"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/ca.70229","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["0897-3806","1098-2353"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0897-3806","type":"print"},{"value":"1098-2353","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2026-04-30","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-09-15","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-09-21","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"ca.70229"}}