Assessing the reproducibility of high temporal and spatial resolution dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in patients with gliomas

Woo Hyeon Lim,Joon Sik Park,Seung Hong Choi,Jaeseok Park

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-02450-5

Woo Hyeon Lim, Joon Sik Park + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-02450-5

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Abstract

Temporal and spatial resolution of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (DCE-MRI) is critical to reproducibility, and the reproducibility of high-resolution (HR) DCE-MRI was evaluated. Thirty consecutive patients suspected to have brain tumors were prospectively enrolled with written informed consent. All patients underwent both HR-DCE (voxel size, 1.1 × 1.1 × 1.1 mm3; scan interval, 1.6 s) and conventional DCE (C-DCE; voxel size, 1.25 × 1.25 × 3.0 mm3; scan interval, 4.0 s) MRI. Regions of interests (ROIs) for enhancing lesions were segmented twice in each patient with glioblastoma (n = 7) to calculate DCE parameters (Ktrans, Vp, and Ve). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of DCE parameters were obtained. In patients with gliomas (n = 25), arterial input functions (AIFs) and DCE parameters derived from T2 hyperintense lesions were obtained, and DCE parameters were compared according to WHO grades. ICCs of HR-DCE parameters were good to excellent (0.84–0.95), and ICCs of C-DCE parameters were moderate to excellent (0.66–0.96). Maximal signal intensity and wash-in slope of AIFs from HR-DCE MRI were significantly greater than those from C-DCE MRI (31.85 vs. 7.09 and 2.14 vs. 0.63; p < 0.001). Both 95th percentile Ktrans and Ve from HR-DCE and C-DCE MRI could differentiate grade 4 from grade 2 and 3 gliomas (p < 0.05). In conclusion, HR-DCE parameters generally showed better reproducibility than C-DCE parameters, and HR-DCE MRI provided better quality of AIFs.

Highlights

Temporal and spatial resolution of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (DCE-MRI) is critical to reproducibility, and the reproducibility of high-resolution (HR) Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI was evaluated
When individual arterial input functions (AIFs) were used, Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of high resolution DCE (HR-DCE) parameters showed good to excellent agreement, while conventional DCE (C-DCE) parameters showed moderate to excellent agreement (Table 2)
We evaluated the reproducibility and clinical applicability of HR-DCE MR imaging in glioma patients, which demonstrated superior spatial and temporal resolutions compared to C-DCE MR imaging[22]

Summary

Introduction

Temporal and spatial resolution of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (DCE-MRI) is critical to reproducibility, and the reproducibility of high-resolution (HR) DCE-MRI was evaluated. In patients with gliomas (n = 25), arterial input functions (AIFs) and DCE parameters derived from T2 hyperintense lesions were obtained, and DCE parameters were compared according to WHO grades. You et al[21] reported that the accuracy and reproducibility of DCE MR imaging parameters could be improved by using AIFs derived from dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MR imaging. This improvement might be achieved by obtaining AIF with accelerated scan intervals, but gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) need to be injected twice to use DSC MR imaging-based AIF on DCE MR imaging analysis[21]. This study aimed to evaluate the reproducibility and validate the usage of HR-DCE MR imaging in patients with gliomas compared with C-DCE MR imaging

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