Uncertainty in MR tracer kinetic parameters and water exchange rates estimated from T1-weighted dynamic contrast enhanced MRI.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

The aim of this study was to assess the uncertainty in estimation of MR tracer kinetic parameters and water exchange rates in T1-weighted dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI.

Methods

Simulated DCE-MRI data were used to assess four kinetic models; general kinetic model with a vascular compartment (GKM2), GKM2 combined with water exchange (SSM2), adiabatic approximation of the tissue homogeneity model (ATH), and ATH combined with water exchange (ATHX).

Results

In GKM2 and SSM2, increase in transfer constant (K(trans)) led to underestimation of vascular volume fraction (vb), and increase in vb led to overestimation of K(trans). Such coupling between K(trans) and vb was not observed in ATH and ATHX. The precision of estimated intracellular water lifetime (τi) was

SUBMITTER: Zhang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3942367 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature