Statistical power in quantitative diffusion MRI of tumor response: strategies for future studies.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale and objectives

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging may be useful in tracking tumor growth and response to treatment. However, studies using these measures may lack statistical power to draw definitive conclusions regarding changes in tumor cellularity. Using apparent diffusion coefficient values taken from the literature, the investigators estimated sample sizes for a range of changes to the mean.

Materials and methods

A literature search was performed of studies measuring the average apparent diffusion coefficients for various bodily tissues, and the mean and standard deviation from each study were recorded. Analyses of statistical power were then performed using these values and comparing them to a population of healthy controls.

Results

Tumor cellularity

SUBMITTER: Yanagihara TK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3274622 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature