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Simultaneous perfusion and permeability assessments using multiband multi‐echo EPI (M2‐EPI) in brain tumors
Author(s) -
Wu Junjie,
Saindane Amit M.,
Zhong Xiaodong,
Qiu Deqiang
Publication year - 2019
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.27532
Subject(s) - perfusion , extravasation , vascular permeability , perfusion scanning , cerebral blood volume , nuclear medicine , cerebral blood flow , blood volume , permeability (electromagnetism) , biomedical engineering , medicine , materials science , radiology , chemistry , pathology , biochemistry , membrane
Purpose To study a multiband multi‐echo EPI (M2‐EPI) sequence for dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) perfusion imaging with leakage correction and vascular permeability measurements, and to evaluate the benefits of increased temporal resolution provided by this acquisition strategy on the accuracy of perfusion and permeability estimations. Methods A novel M2‐EPI sequence was developed, and a pharmacokinetic model accounting for contrast agent extravasation was used to produce perfusion maps and additional vascular permeability maps. The advantage of M2‐EPI for DSC perfusion imaging was demonstrated in vivo in 5 patients with brain tumors, and numerical simulations were performed to evaluate the advantage of improved temporal resolution afforded by the technique. Results In contrast to underestimations of cerebral blood volume (CBV) in tumors using the single‐echo acquisition strategy, M2‐EPI provided more plausible estimates of CBV. A quantitative evaluation showed higher estimated values of CBV and mean transit time in tumor tissues using M2‐EPI (CBV: 3.08 ± 0.78 mL/100 g versus 1.56 ± 1.38 mL/100 g [ P = .006]; mean transit time: 4.94 ± 1.17 seconds versus 1.83 ± 2.06 seconds [ P = 0.033]). Numerical simulations showed that higher temporal resolution provided by M2‐EPI was associated with more accurate estimates of cerebral blood flow, CBV, and permeability parameters. Conclusion The novel M2‐EPI acquisition strategy for DSC imaging facilitates leakage‐corrected perfusion measurements with additional permeability assessments and more accurate estimates of perfusion/permeability parameters, and may be used as a quantitative tool for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring of brain tumors.