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T1 measurement of flowing blood and arterial input function determination for quantitative 3D T1-weighted DCE-MRI

✍ Scribed by Hai-Ling Margaret Cheng


Publisher
John Wiley and Sons
Year
2007
Tongue
English
Weight
312 KB
Volume
25
Category
Article
ISSN
1053-1807

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✦ Synopsis


Abstract

Purpose

To propose a simple, accurate method for measuring T~1~ in flowing blood and the arterial input function (AIF), and to evaluate the impact on dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI (DCE‐MRI) quantification of pharmacokinetic parameters.

Materials and Methods

A total of 10 rabbits were scanned at 1.5 Tesla and administered a bolus of Gadomer. Preinjection T~1~ and AIF measurements were acquired in the iliac arteries using a rapid three‐dimensional (3D) spoiled gradient recalled echo (SPGR) approach. Correction was made for imperfect B~1~ fields, in‐flow, and partial volume effects. DCE‐MRI parameters blood volume (v~b~) and endothelial transfer constant (K^trans^) in resting skeletal muscle were estimated from pharmacokinetic analysis using individually measured AIFs. Literature comparisons were made to assess accuracy.

Results

Blood T~1~ was more accurate and precise after correction for B~1~ and partial volume errors (1267 ± 72 msec). Measured AIFs followed reported biexponential decay characteristics for Gadomer clearance in rabbits. Parameters v~b~ (2.47 ± 0.65%) and K^trans^ (3.6 ± 1.0 × 10^–3^ minute^–1^) derived from AIFs based on corrected blood T~1~s were more reproducible and in better agreement with literature values.

Conclusion

The proposed method enables accurate in vivo blood T~1~ and AIF measurements and can be easily implemented in a range of DCE‐MRI applications to improve both the accuracy and reproducibility of pharmacokinetic parameters. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.