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Technical Note: Quantitative dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI of a 3‐dimensional artificial capillary network
Author(s) -
Gaass Thomas,
Schneider Moritz Jörg,
Dietrich Olaf,
Ingrisch Michael,
Dinkel Julien
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1002/mp.12162
Subject(s) - reproducibility , imaging phantom , repeatability , biomedical engineering , materials science , magnetic resonance imaging , coefficient of variation , dynamic contrast enhanced mri , volumetric flow rate , nuclear medicine , mathematics , physics , medicine , radiology , statistics , quantum mechanics
Purpose Variability across devices, patients, and time still hinders widespread recognition of dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging ( DCE ‐ MRI ) as quantitative biomarker. The purpose of this work was to introduce and characterize a dedicated microchannel phantom as a model for quantitative DCE ‐ MRI measurements. Methods A perfusable, MR ‐compatible microchannel network was constructed on the basis of sacrificial melt‐spun sugar fibers embedded in a block of epoxy resin. Structural analysis was performed on the basis of light microscopy images before DCE ‐ MRI experiments. During dynamic acquisition the capillary network was perfused with a standard contrast agent injection system. Flow‐dependency, as well as inter‐ and intrascanner reproducibility of the computed DCE parameters were evaluated using a 3.0 T whole‐body MRI . Results Semi‐quantitative and quantitative flow‐related parameters exhibited the expected proportionality to the set flow rate (mean Pearson correlation coefficient: 0.991, P < 2.5e‐5). The volume fraction was approximately independent from changes of the applied flow rate through the phantom. Repeatability and reproducibility experiments yielded maximum intrascanner coefficients of variation ( CV ) of 4.6% for quantitative parameters. All evaluated parameters were well in the range of known in vivo results for the applied flow rates. Conclusion The constructed phantom enables reproducible, flow‐dependent, contrast‐enhanced MR measurements with the potential to facilitate standardization and comparability of DCE ‐ MRI examinations.