T 1 Mapping, AIF and Pharmacokinetic Parameter Extraction from Dynamic Contrast Enhancement MRI Data

Abstract

AbstractDynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a sensitive, noninvasive technique for the assessment of microvascular properties of the tissue. Quantitative physiological parameters can be obtained using pharmacokinetic (PK) models that track contrast agents as it passes through the tissue vasculature. Such analysis usually requires prior knowledge of the voxels’ T 1 values and of the Arterial Input Function (AIF). Therefore, relaxometry T 1 measurements are usually performed prior to contrast-agent injection and the AIF is manually or automatically extracted from the dynamic data. In this study, a method for a fully automatic analysis of DCE data for joint PK parameters, T 1 mapping and AIF extraction is proposed. Results are shown on simulated data compared to other methods and on data acquired from healthy subjects and patients with Glioblastoma who received anti-angiogenic therapy. The proposed method renders DCE analysis to be robust and easily applicable.KeywordsSignal RatioArterial Input FunctionContrast Agent ConcentrationDynamic Contrast EnhanceDynamic Contrast EnhancementThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.