The Effect of Voxel Volume and Voxel Shape on Cardiac Diffusion Tensor Imaging Metrics.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Cardiac diffusion tensor imaging (cDTI) is signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)-limited due to diffusion signal attenuation, long echo times from gradient moment nulling, and moderate myocardial T  2$$ {}_2 $$ . Increasing voxel volume improves SNR but reduces spatial sensitivity and introduces physiological bias. This work aimed to identify the voxel configuration (volume and shape) yielding the most precise cDTI metrics.

Methods

Spin-echo cDTI protocols spanning nine voxel volumes were evaluated in healthy subjects (N = 11) at 3T. A gel phantom was scanned to compare SNR in a non-physiologic environment. Temporal SNR and regression fits were computed. Mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), bootstrapped uncertainties ( dMD$$ dMD $$ , dFA$$ dFA $$ ), Helix angle p

SUBMITTER: Hannum AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12850627 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature