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New algorithm for quantifying vascular changes in dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI independent of absolute T 1 values
Author(s) -
Haacke E. Mark,
Filleti Cristina L.,
Gattu Ramtilak,
Ciulla Carlo,
AlBashir Areen,
Suryanarayanan Krithivasan,
Li Meng,
Latif Zahid,
DelProposto Zach,
Sehgal Vivek,
Li Tao,
Torquato Vidya,
Kanaparti Rajesh,
Jiang Jing,
Neelavalli Jaladhar
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
magnetic resonance in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.696
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1522-2594
pISSN - 0740-3194
DOI - 10.1002/mrm.21358
Subject(s) - contrast (vision) , dynamic contrast enhanced mri , dynamic contrast , algorithm , magnetic resonance imaging , computer science , nuclear magnetic resonance , medicine , artificial intelligence , radiology , physics
In this work, we present a new method for predicting changes in tumor vascularity using only one flip angle in dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE) imaging. The usual DCE approach finds the tissue initial T 1 value T 1 (0) prior to injection of a contrast agent. We propose finding changes in the tissue contrast agent uptake characteristics pre‐ and postdrug treatment by fixing T 1 (0). Using both simulations and imaging pre‐ and postadministration of caffeine, we find that the relative change (NR50) in the median of the cumulative distribution (R50) is almost independent of T 1 (0). Fixing T 1 (0) leads to a concentration curve c(t) more robust to the presence of noise than calculating T 1 (0). Consequently, the NR50 for the tumor remains roughly the same as the ideal NR50 when T 1 (0) is exactly known. Further, variations in eating habits are shown to create significant changes in the R50 response for both liver and muscle. In conclusion, analyzing data with fixed T 1 (0) leads to a more stable measure of changes in NR50 and does not require knowledge of T 1 (0). Both caffeine and eating introduce major changes in blood flow that can significantly modify the NR50 and lead to incorrect conclusions regarding drug treatment. Magn Reson Med 58:463–472, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.