Enhancing pancreatic adenocarcinoma delineation in diffusion derived intravoxel incoherent motion f‐maps through automatic vessel and duct segmentation

Diffusion‐based intravoxel incoherent motion imaging has recently gained interest as a method to detect and characterize pancreatic lesions, especially as it could provide a radiation‐ and contrast agent‐free alternative to existing diagnostic methods. However, tumor delineation on intravoxel incoherent motion‐derived parameter maps is impeded by poor lesion‐to‐pancreatic duct contrast in the f‐maps and poor lesion‐to‐vessel contrast in the D‐maps. The distribution of the diffusion and perfusion parameters within vessels, ducts, and tumors were extracted from a group of 42 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Clearly separable combinations of f and D were observed, and receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to determine the optimal cutoff values for an automated segmentation of vessels and ducts to improve lesion detection and delineation on the individual intravoxel incoherent motion‐derived maps. Receiver operating characteristic analysis identified f = 0.28 as the cutoff for vessels (Area under the curve (AUC) = 0.901) versus tumor/duct and D = 1.85 μm²/ms for separating duct from tumor tissue (AUC = 0.988). These values were incorporated in an automatic segmentation algorithm and then applied to 42 patients. This yielded clearly improved tumor delineation compared to individual intravoxel incoherent motion‐derived maps. Furthermore, previous findings that indicated that the f value in pancreatic cancer is strongly reduced compared to healthy pancreatic tissue were reconfirmed. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Intravoxel incoherent motion MR imaging for prostate cancer: An evaluation of perfusion fraction and diffusion coefficient derived from different b‐value combinations

There has been a resurgent interest in intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MR imaging to obtain perfusion as well as diffusion information on lesions, in which the diffusion was modeled as Gaussian diffusion. However, it was observed that this diffusion deviated from expected monoexponential decay at high b‐values and the reported perfusion in prostate is contrary to the findings in dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE) MRI studies and angiogenesis. Thus, this work is to evaluate the effect of different b‐values on IVIM perfusion fractions (f) and diffusion coefficients (D) for prostate cancer detection. The results show that both parameters depended heavily on the b‐values, and those derived without the highest b‐value correlated best with the results from DCE‐MRI studies; specifically, f was significantly elevated (7.2% vs. 3.7%) in tumors when compared with normal tissues, in accordance with the volume transfer constant (K^trans; 0.39 vs. 0.18 min^?1) and plasma fractional volume (v_p; 8.4% vs. 3.4%). In conclusion, it is critical to choose an appropriate range of b‐values in studies or include the non‐Gaussian diffusion contribution to obtain unbiased IVIM measurements. These measurements could eliminate the need for DCE‐MRI, which is especially relevant in patients who cannot receive intravenous gadolinium‐based contrast media. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Quantitative diffusion imaging of adipose tissue in the human lower leg at 1.5 T

Diffusion‐weighted spin‐echo echo‐planar imaging was developed and applied for assessment of diffusion coefficients of adipose tissue in human lower leg on a 1.5‐T whole‐body MR scanner. Because of the higher molecular weight of triglycerides, apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) of adipose tissue are approximately two orders of magnitude smaller compared with water, leading to the necessity of using high b‐values up to 50,000 sec/mm² and an echo time of 240 msec for sufficient diffusion‐related signal attenuation. ADC maps of adipose tissue in the human lower leg were derived for diffusion encoding along orthogonal spatial directions in six healthy volunteers. Mean diffusion coefficients in the tibial bone marrow amounted to (1.81 ± 0.10) × 10^?5 mm²/sec (left–right), (1.96 ± 0.10) × 10^?5 mm²/sec (anterior–posterior), and (1.96 ± 0.20) × 10^?5 mm²/sec (head–feet), respectively. Pixel‐wise calculated ADC values of subcutaneous adipose tissue showed a distinctly higher variation with the smallest ADC values similar to those measured for tibial bone marrow. Some subcutaneous adipose tissue regions showed increased signal attenuation at higher b‐values resulting in ADC coefficients up to 4.2 × 10^?5 mm²/sec. It must be noted that diffusion measurements with extremely high b‐values in vivo are extremely sensitive to incoherent motion effects in tissue. Nonetheless, it could be shown that in vivo diffusion imaging of adipose tissue in human lower leg is possible at 1.5 T in acceptable measurement time of a few minutes. Potential future applications of fat diffusion imaging are seen in temperature measurements in adipose tissue, detection of free fatty acids in white or brown adipose tissue in case of high lipolysis, differentiation of macro‐ and microvesicular steatosis, or assessment of the mobility of intramyocellular lipids. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Intravoxel incoherent motion MR imaging: comparison of diffusion and perfusion characteristics between nasopharyngeal carcinoma and post-chemoradiation fibrosis

Objectives

To compare the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion and perfusion characteristics of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and post-chemoradiation fibrosis to aid in their differentiation.

Methods

Fifty-three (64 %) patients with newly diagnosed NPC and 30 (36 %) patients with biopsy-proven post-chemoradiation fibrosis were recruited into tumour and fibrosis groups respectively. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed using 13 b values (0–1,000 s/mm²). Their respective IVIM parameters (D, pure diffusion; f, perfusion fraction; D*, pseudodiffusion coefficient) were obtained.

Results

D and f were significantly lower in NPC (D?=?0.752?±?0.194?×?10^-3 mm²/s, P <0.001; f?=?0.122?±?0.095, P <0.001) than in fibrosis (D?=?1.423?±?0.364?×?10^-3 mm²/s; f?=?0.190?±?0.120); while D* was significantly higher in NPC (111.366?±?65.528?×?10^-3 mm²/s, P <0.001) than in fibrosis (77.468?±?62.168?×?10^-3 mm²/s). Respective cut-off values with sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were: D?=?1.062?×?10^-3 mm²/s (100 %, 100 %, 100 %); f?=?0.132 (66.0 %, 100 %, 78.3 %); D*?=?85.283?×?10^-3 mm²/s (100 %, 90.7 %, 96.4 %).

Conclusion

NPC and post-chemoradiation fibrosis have distinctive IVIM parameters. IVIM MR imaging is potentially useful in discrimination between NPC and fibrosis.

Key Points

? New MRI techniques offer greater help in the assessment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. ? Tumour and post-chemoradiation fibrosis have distinctive intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion/perfusion parameters. ? Non-invasive IVIM MRI may help differentiate between tumour and fibrosis. ? Pure diffusion is a robust independent discriminating factor which improves diagnostic confidence.     

Liver fibrosis: an intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) study

Purpose:

To characterize longitudinal changes in molecular water diffusion, blood microcirculation, and their contributions to the apparent diffusion changes using intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) analysis in an experimental mouse model of liver fibrosis.

Materials and Methods:

Liver fibrosis was induced in male adult C57BL/6N mice (22–25 g; n = 12) by repetitive dosing of carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄). The respiratory‐gated diffusion‐weighted (DW) images were acquired using single‐shot spin‐echo EPI (SE‐EPI) with 8 b‐values and single diffusion gradient direction. True diffusion coefficient (D_true), blood pseudodiffusion coefficient (D_pseudo), and perfusion fraction (P_fraction) were measured. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was also performed for comparison. Histology was performed with hematoxylin‐eosin and Masson's trichrome staining.

Results:

A significant decrease in D_true was found at 2 weeks and 4 weeks following CCl₄ insult, as compared with that before insult. Similarly, D_pseudo values before injury was significantly higher than those at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after CCl₄ insult. Meanwhile, P_fraction values showed no significant differences over different timepoints. For DTI, significant decrease in ADC was observed following CCl₄ administration. Fractional anisotropy at 2 weeks after CCl₄ insult was significantly lower than that before insult, and subsequently normalized at 4 weeks after the insult. Liver histology showed collagen deposition, the presence of intracellular fat vacuoles, and cell necrosis/apoptosis in livers with CCl₄ insult.

Conclusion:

Both molecular water diffusion and blood microcirculation contribute to the alteration in apparent diffusion changes in liver fibrosis. Reduction in D_true and D_pseudo values resulted from diffusion and perfusion changes, respectively, during the progression of liver fibrosis. IVIM analysis may serve as valuable and robust tool in detecting and characterizing liver fibrosis at early stages, monitoring its progression in a noninvasive manner. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;36:159–167. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Diffusion analysis with triexponential function in hepatic steatosis

Our purpose was to assess the influence of liver steatosis on diffusion by triexponential analysis. Thirty-three patients underwent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging with multiple b values for perfusion-related diffusion, fast free diffusion, and slow restricted diffusion coefficients (D _p, D _f, D _s) and fractions (F _p, F _f, F _s). They also underwent dual-echo gradient-echo imaging for measurement of the hepatic fat fraction (HFF). Of these, 13 patients were included in the control group and 20 in the fatty liver group with HFF >5 %. The parameters of the two groups were compared by use of the Mann–Whitney U test. The relationships between diffusion coefficients and HFFs were assessed by use of the Pearson correlation. D _p and D _f were reduced significantly in the steatotic liver group compared with those in the control group (D _p = 27.72 ± 6.61 × 10^?3 vs. 33.33 ± 6.47 × 10^?3 mm²/s, P = 0.0072; D _f = 1.70 ± 0.53 × 10^?3 vs. 2.06 ± 0.40 × 10^?3 mm²/s, P = 0.0224). There were no significant differences in the other parameters between the two groups. Furthermore, D _p and D _f were correlated with HFF (P < 0.0001, r = ?0.64 and P = 0.0008, r = ?0.56, respectively). Decreased liver perfusion in steatosis caused the reduction in D _p, and extracellular fat accumulation and intracellular fat droplets in steatosis led to the reduction in D _f. Thus, the influence of hepatic steatosis should be taken into consideration when triexponential function analysis is used for assessment of diffuse liver disease.     

Intravoxel partially coherent motion technique: Characterization of the anisotropy of skeletal muscle microvasculature

Purpose:

To propose a reformulation of the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) technique exploiting the low b‐value diffusion‐weighted imaging regime that can characterize microcirculation of tissues perfused with partially coherent blood flow.

Materials and Methods:

The new methodology, termed intravoxel partially coherent motion (IVPCM) technique, is suitable for probing microcirculation in tissues with ordered microvasculature, such as skeletal muscle. We employ a subvoxel model utilizing a randomly oriented bundle of straight vessels whose orientation statistics are characterized by a Fisher axial distribution with concentration parameter K quantifying the anisotropy of the distribution (K = 0 indicates isotropic capillary orientation). The methodology is first validated with a proof‐of‐principle phantom experiment and is then applied to analyze the microvasculature of human calf muscle at rest.

Results:

The microcirculatory part of the diffusion‐weighted signal at b < 200 s/mm² is anisotropic. The variation of the diffusion‐weighted signal with b‐value exhibits stronger deviation from the expected monoexponential decay when the diffusion encoding gradient is applied parallel to the mean myofiber direction in the calf muscle of three healthy volunteers. The application of the model to data from the medial gastrocnemius and the soleus of the three volunteers gives results within the expected range for the mean microvascular volume fraction, the mean microflow velocity, and the parameter K.

Conclusion:

The proposed methodology has the capability of characterizing the anisotropy of the capillary network in vivo in a manner analogous to the capability of high b‐value diffusion to characterize the anisotropy of muscle fibers. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2010;31:942–953. ©2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

T(2) -weighted STIR imaging of myocardial edema associated with ischemia-reperfusion injury: the influence of proton density effect on image contrast

Purpose

To investigate the contribution of proton density (PD) in T₂‐STIR based edema imaging in the setting of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Materials and Methods

Canines (n = 5), subjected to full occlusion of the left anterior descending artery for 3 hours, underwent serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies 2 hours postreperfusion (day 0) and on day 2. During each study, T₁ and T₂ maps, STIR (TE = 7.1 msec and 64 msec) and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) images were acquired. Using T₁ and T₂ maps, relaxation and PD contributions to myocardial edema contrast (EC) in STIR images at both TEs were calculated.

Results

Edematous territories showed significant increase in PD (20.3 ± 14.3%, P < 0.05) relative to healthy territories. The contributions of T₁ changes and T₂ or PD changes toward EC were in opposite directions. One‐tailed t‐test confirmed that the mean T₂ and PD‐based EC at both TEs were greater than zero. EC from STIR images at TE = 7.1 msec was dominated by PD than T₂ effects (94.3 ± 11.3% vs. 17.6 ± 2.5%, P < 0.05), while at TE = 64 msec, T₂ effects were significantly greater than PD effects (90.8 ± 20.3% vs. 12.5 ± 11.9%, P < 0.05). The contribution from PD in standard STIR acquisitions (TE = 64 msec) was significantly higher than 0 (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

In addition to T₂‐weighting, edema detection in the setting of AMI with T₂‐weighted STIR imaging has a substantial contribution from PD changes, likely stemming from increased free‐water content within the affected tissue. This suggests that imaging approaches that take advantage of both PD as well as T₂ effects may provide the optimal sensitivity for detecting myocardial edema. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2011;33:962–967. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Intravoxel Incoherent Motion in Normal Pituitary Gland: Initial Study with Turbo Spin-Echo Diffusion-Weighted Imaging

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:DWI with conventional single-shot EPI of the pituitary gland is hampered by strong susceptibility artifacts. Our purpose was to evaluate the feasibility of intravoxel incoherent motion assessment by using DWI based on TSE of the normal anterior pituitary lobe.MATERIALS AND METHODS:The intravoxel incoherent motion parameters, including the true diffusion coefficient (D), the perfusion fraction (f), and the pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), were obtained with TSE-DWI in 5 brain regions (the pons, the WM and GM of the vermis, and the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum) in 8 healthy volunteers, and their agreement with those obtained with EPI-DWI was evaluated by using the intraclass correlation coefficient. The 3 intravoxel incoherent motion parameters in the anterior pituitary lobe were compared with those in the brain regions by using the Dunnett test.RESULTS:The agreement between TSE-DWI and EPI-DWI was moderate (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.571) for D, substantial (0.699) for f'', but fair (0.405) for D*. D in the anterior pituitary lobe was significantly higher than in the 5 brain regions (P < .001). The f in the anterior pituitary lobe was significantly higher than in the 5 brain regions (P < .001), except for the vermian GM. The pituitary D* was not significantly different from that in the 5 brain regions.CONCLUSIONS:Our results demonstrated the feasibility of intravoxel incoherent motion assessment of the normal anterior pituitary lobe by using TSE-DWI. High D and f values in the anterior pituitary lobe were thought to reflect its microstructural and perfusion characteristics.

Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging is an advanced DWI technique that allows a separate quantitative evaluation of all the microscopic random motion that contributes to DWI, which is essentially represented by molecular diffusion and blood microcirculation (perfusion).¹ Currently, DWI based on single-shot EPI is most commonly used for IVIM imaging.^2,3 However, EPI-DWI is associated with strong susceptibility artifacts, which cause image degradation in the skull base,⁴ making it difficult, if not impossible, to accurately measure the IVIM parameters in the anterior pituitary lobe. DWI based on TSE has been reported to mitigate such problems in the skull base.⁵ To our knowledge, perfusion of the normal pituitary gland has not yet been evaluated by imaging modalities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of IVIM assessment based on TSE-DWI in the normal pituitary gland.     

Diffusion-weighted imaging of the human optic nerve: A New approach to evaluate optic neuritis in multiple sclerosis

The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in the optic nerve was measured from diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging using an intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) sequence. The subjects were seven normal volunteers and eight patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) with a total of four optic nerves with acute neuritis and nine nerves with chronic neuritis. The mean ADC (4.18 ± 1.13 × 10^?3 mm²/s, n = 9) in the optic nerves with chronic neuritis was significantly higher than that in normal volunteers (1.56 ± 0.675 × 10^?3 mm²/s, n = 14) and that in the nerves with acute neuritis (0.94 ± 0.43 × 10^?3 mm²/s n = 4) (P < 0.001). The ADC is useful in assessing MS foci in the optic nerves.     

Simultaneous T2* and diffusion measurements with 3He

It has recently been demonstrated that magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of human lungs and airways is possible with hyperpolarized gases such as ³He. Because the influence of the apparent transversal relaxation (T₂* decay) and diffusion in ³He imaging have not been quantified, an imaging pulse sequence was developed to measure these two parameters simultaneously. The imaging pulse sequence generates two series of multiply recalled gradient echo images with both different echo-spacings and diffusion-sensitizing gradients. From differences in exponential signal decay between the two series, T₂* and diffusion coefficients, D, of both hyperpolarized and unpolarized ³He samples could be measured on a standard clinical imager using a home-built Helmholtz coil. In a hyperpolarized sample of pure ³He values of D = (1.8 ± 0.2) ± 10^?4 m²/s and T₂* = 36 ± 13 ms were measured, while D = (0.3 ± 0.1) · 10^?4 m²/s and T₂* = 136 ± 66 ms were found in a Boltzmann-polarized ³He/O₂ mixture.     

Microscopic diffusivity compartmentation in formalin‐fixed prostate tissue

MR microimaging at 16.4 T with 40‐μm isotropic voxels was used to investigate compartmentation of water diffusion in formalin‐fixed prostate tissue. Ten tissue samples (～ 28 mm³ each) from five organs were imaged. The mean diffusivity of epithelial, stromal, and ductal/acinar compartments was estimated by two methods: ( 1 ) manual region of interest selection and ( 2 ) Gaussian fitting of voxel diffusivity histograms. For the region of interest‐method, the means of the tissue sample compartment diffusivities were significantly different (P < 0.001): 0.54 ± 0.05 μm²/ms for epithelium‐containing voxels, 0.91 ± 0.17 μm²/ms for stroma, and 2.20 ± 0.04 μm²/ms for saline‐filled ducts. The means from the histogram method were also significantly different (P < 0.001): 0.45 ± 0.08 μm²/ms for epithelium‐containing voxels, 0.83 ± 0.16 μm²/ms for stroma, 2.21 ± 0.02 μm²/ms for duct. Estimated partial volumes of epithelial, stromal, and ductal/acinar compartments in a “tissue only” subvolume of each sample were significantly different (P < 0.02) between cancer and normal tissue for all three compartments. It is concluded that the negative correlation between apparent diffusion coefficient and cancer Gleason grade observed in vivo results from an increase of partial volume of epithelial tissue and concomitant decrease of stromal tissue and ductal space. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Error model for reduction of cardiac and respiratory motion effects in quantitative liver DW‐MRI

Diffusion‐weighted images of the liver exhibit signal dropout from cardiac and respiratory motion, particularly in the left lobe. These artifacts cause bias and variance in derived parameters that quantify intravoxel incoherent motion. Many models of diffusion have been proposed, but few separate attenuation from diffusion or perfusion from that of bulk motion. The error model proposed here (Beta*LogNormal) is intended to accomplish that separation by modeling stochastic attenuation from bulk motion as multiplication by a Beta‐distributed random variate. Maximum likelihood estimation with this error model can be used to derive intravoxel incoherent motion parameters separate from signal dropout, and does not require a priori specification of parameters to do so. Liver intravoxel incoherent motion parameters were derived for six healthy subjects under this error model and compared with least‐squares estimates. Least‐squares estimates exhibited bias due to cardiac and respiratory gating and due to location within the liver. Bias from these factors was significantly reduced under the Beta*LogNormal model, as was within‐organ parameter variance. Similar effects were appreciable in diffusivity maps in two patients with focal liver lesions. These results suggest that, relative to least‐squares estimation, the Beta*LogNormal model accomplishes the intended reduction of bias and variance from bulk motion in liver diffusion imaging. Magn Reson Med 70:1460–1469, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

16 T Diffusion microimaging of fixed prostate tissue: Preliminary findings

Diffusion tensor microimaging was used to investigate the water diffusion properties of formalin‐fixed prostate tissue at spatial resolution approaching the cellular scale. Diffusion tensor microimaging was performed at 16.4 T with 40 μm isotropic voxels. Diffusion tensor microimaging clearly demonstrated distinct microscopic diffusion environments and tissue architecture consistent with that seen on light microscopy of the same tissue. The most restricted diffusion environment is the secretory epithelial cell layer (voxel bulk mean diffusivity, D = 0.4 ± 0.1 × 10^?3 mm²/sec). Diffusion in the fibromuscular stromal matrix is relatively less restricted (D = 0.7 ± 0.1 × 10^?3 mm²/sec). In tumor tissue (Gleason pattern 4+4) distinct glandular and ductal structures are absent in the diffusion‐weighted images and diffusivity is low (D = 0.5 ± 0.1 × 10^?3 mm²/sec). Distinct stromal and epithelial diffusion compartments are the most likely origin of biexponential diffusion decay observed in vivo. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Intravoxel incoherent motion imaging of focal hepatic lesions

Purpose:

To compare diffusivity values between malignant and benign focal hepatic lesions using the intravoxel incoherent motion model.

Materials and Methods:

This study included 84 focal hepatic lesions in 84 patients. Final diagnoses were as follows: hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 45), cholangiocarcinoma (n = 6), metastatic liver tumor (n = 3), cyst (n = 20), hemangioma (n = 5), inflammatory pseudotumor (n = 2), abscess (n = 2), and focal nodular hyperplasia (n = 1). Diffusion‐weighted images at 12 b‐values were used to obtain the diffusion coefficient of pure molecular diffusion (D), diffusion coefficient of microcirculation or perfusion‐related diffusion (D*), and perfusion‐related diffusion fraction (f). Parameters of malignant and benign focal hepatic lesions were compared using the Wilcoxon test. The diagnostic performance for distinguishing between malignant and benign hepatic lesions was also analyzed.

Results:

Both the D value (1.15 ± 0.21 × 10^?3 mm²/s [mean ± standard deviation]) and D* value (62.7 ±12.7 × 10^?3 mm²/s) in malignant lesions was significantly lower than that in benign lesions (D value [2.46 ± 0.45× 10^?3 mm²/s], P < 0.0001; D* value [87.6 ± 35.3 × 10^?3 mm²/s], P = 0.0008). The f value did not differ significantly between malignant (25.0 15.1 ± 15.1%) and benign lesions (30.1 ± 16.3%).

Conclusion:

D* and D values were suppressed in malignant lesions. However, the D value was more reliable for distinguishing between malignant and benign focal hepatic lesions. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2013;37:1371–1376. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

     

In vivo diffusion tensor MRI of the human heart: Reproducibility of breath‐hold and navigator‐based approaches

The aim of this study was to implement a quantitative in vivo cardiac diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) technique that was robust, reproducible, and feasible to perform in patients with cardiovascular disease. A stimulated‐echo single‐shot echo‐planar imaging (EPI) sequence with zonal excitation and parallel imaging was implemented, together with a novel modification of the prospective navigator (NAV) technique combined with a biofeedback mechanism. Ten volunteers were scanned on two different days, each time with both multiple breath‐hold (MBH) and NAV multislice protocols. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and helix angle (HA) fiber maps were created. Comparison of initial and repeat scans showed good reproducibility for both MBH and NAV techniques for FA (P > 0.22), MD (P > 0.15), and HA (P > 0.28). Comparison of MBH and NAV FA (FA_MBHday1 = 0.60 ± 0.04, FA_NAVday1 = 0.60 ± 0.03, P = 0.57) and MD (MD_MBHday1 = 0.8 ± 0.2 × 10^?3 mm²/s, MD_NAVday1 = 0.9 ± 0.2 × 10^?3 mm²/s, P = 0.07) values showed no significant differences, while HA values (HA_MBHday1Endo = 22 ± 10°, HA_{MBHday1Mid‐Endo} = 20 ± 6°, HA_{MBHday1Mid‐Epi} = ?1 ± 6°, HA_MBHday1Epi = ?17 ± 6°, HA_NAVday1Endo = 7 ± 7°, HA_{NAVday1Mid‐Endo} = 13 ± 8°, HA_{NAVday1Mid‐Epi} = ?2 ± 7°, HA_NAVday1Epi = ?14 ± 6°) were significantly different. The scan duration was 20% longer with the NAV approach. Currently, the MBH approach is the more robust in normal volunteers. While the NAV technique still requires resolution of some bulk motion sensitivity issues, these preliminary experiments show its potential for in vivo clinical cardiac diffusion tensor imaging and for delivering high‐resolution in vivo 3D DTI tractography of the heart. Magn Reson Med 70:454–465, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Measurement of 129Xe gas apparent diffusion coefficient anisotropy in an elastase‐instilled rat model of emphysema

Hyperpolarized noble gas (³He and ¹²⁹Xe) apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements have shown remarkable sensitivity to microstructural (i.e., alveolar) changes in the lung, particularly emphysema. The ADC of hyperpolarized noble gases depends strongly on the diffusion time (Δ), and ³He ADC has been shown to be anisotropic for Δ ranging from a few milliseconds down to a few hundred microseconds. In this study, the anisotropic nature of ¹²⁹Xe diffusion and its dependence on Δ were investigated both numerically, in a budded cylinder model, and in vivo, in an elastase‐instilled rat model of emphysema. Whole lung longitudinal ADC (D_L) and transverse ADC (D_T) were measured for Δ = 6, 50, and 100 ms at 73.5 mT, and correlated with measurements of the mean linear intercept (L_m) obtained from lung histology. A significant increase (P = 0.0021) in D_T was measured for Δ = 6 ms between the sham (0.0021 ± 0.0005 cm²/s) and elastase‐instilled (0.005 ± 0.001 cm²/s) cohorts, and a strong correlation was measured between D_T (Δ = 6 ms) and L_m, with a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.90. This study confirms that ¹²⁹Xe D_T increases correlate with alveolar space enlargement due to elastase instillation in rats. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Quantifying endogenous glucose production and contributing source fluxes from a single 2H NMR spectrum

Endogenous glucose production (EGP), gluconeogenic and glycogenolytic fluxes by analysis of a single ²H‐NMR spectrum is demonstrated with 6‐hr and 24‐hr fasted rats. Animals were administered [1‐²H, 1‐¹³C]glucose, a novel tracer of glucose turnover, and ²H₂O. Plasma glucose enrichment from both tracers was quantified by ²H‐NMR analysis of monoacetone glucose. The 6‐hr fasted group (n = 7) had EGP rates of 95.6 ± 13.3 μmol/kg/min, where 56.2 ± 7.9 μmol/kg/min were derived from PEP; 12.1 ± 2.1 μmol/kg/min from glycerol, and 32.1 ± 4.9 μmol/kg/min from glycogen. The 24‐hr fasted group (n = 7) had significantly lower EGP rates (52.8 ± 7.2 μmol/kg/min, P = 0.004 vs. 6 hr) mediated by a significantly reduced contribution from glycogen (4.7 ± 5.9 μmol/kg/min, P = 0.02 vs. 6 hr) while PEP and glycerol contributions were not significantly different (39.5 ± 3.9 and 8.5 ± 1.2 μmol/kg/min, respectively). These estimates agree with previous assays of EGP fluxes in fasted rats obtained by multinuclear NMR analyses of plasma glucose enrichment from ²H₂O and ¹³C‐glucose tracers. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Intravoxel incoherent motion model-based liver lesion characterisation from three b-value diffusion-weighted MRI

Objective

To evaluate intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) model-based liver lesion characterisation from three b-value diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).

Methods

The 1.5-T DWI data from a respiratory gated spin-echo echo-planar magnetic resonance imaging sequence (b?=?0, 50, 800 s/mm²) were retrospectively analysed in 38 patients with different liver lesions. Conventional apparent diffusion coefficient ADC?=?ADC(0,800) as well as IVIM-based parameters D′?=?ADC(50,800), ADC_low?=?ADC(0,50), and f′ were calculated voxel-wise. Sixty-one regions of interest in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs, n?=?24), haemangiomas (HEMs, n?=?11), focal nodular hyperplasias (FNHs, n?=?11), and healthy liver tissue (REFs, n?=?15) were analysed. Group differences were investigated using Student’s t-test and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Results

Mean values?±?standard deviations of ADC, D′, ADC_low (in 10^-5 mm²/s), and f′ (in %) for REFs/FNHs/HEMs/HCCs were 130?±?11/143?±?27/168?±?16/113?±?25, 104?±?12/123?±?25/162?±?18/102?±?23, 518?±?66/437?±?97/268?±?69/283?±?120, and 18?±?3/14?±?4/6?±?3/9?±?5, respectively. Differences between lesions and REFs were more significant for IVIM-based parameters than for conventional ADC. ROC analysis showed the best discriminability between HCCs and FNHs for ADC_low and f′ and between HEMs and FNHs or HCCs for D′.

Conclusion

Three instead of two b-value DWI enables a numerically stable and voxel-wise IVIM-based analysis for improved liver lesion characterisation with tolerable acquisition time.

Key Points

? Quantitative analysis of diffusion-weighted MRI helps liver lesion characterisation. ? Analysis of intravoxel incoherent motion is superior to apparent diffusion coefficient determination. ? Only three b-values enable separation of diffusion and microcirculation effects. ? The method presented is numerically stable, with voxel-wise results and short acquisition times.