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Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine

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01-10-2013 | Research Article

Quantitative liver ADC measurements using diffusion-weighted MRI at 3 Tesla: evaluation of reproducibility and perfusion dependence using different techniques for respiratory compensation

Authors: Nis Elbrønd Larsen, Søren Haack, Lars Peter Skovgaard Larsen, Erik Morre Pedersen

Published in: Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine | Issue 5/2013

Abstract

Object

Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) of the liver suffers from low signal to noise making 3 Tesla (3 T) an attractive option, but 3 T data is scarce. It was the aim to study the influence of different b values and respiratory compensation methods (RCM) on the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) level and on ADC reproducibility at 3 T.

Materials and methods

Ten healthy volunteers and 12 patients with malignant liver lesions underwent repeated (2–22 days) breathhold, free-breathing and respiratory triggered DWI at 3 T using b values between 0 and 1,000 s/mm².

Results

The ADCs changed up to 150 % in healthy livers and up to 48 % in malignant lesions depending on b value combinations. Best ADC reproducibility in healthy livers were obtained with respiratory triggering (95 % limits of agreement: ±0.12) and free-breathing (±0.14). In malignant lesions equivalent reproducibility was obtained with less RCM dependence. The use of a lower maximum b value (b = 500) decreased reproducibility (±0.14 to ±0.32) in both normal liver and malignant lesions.

Conclusion

Large differences in absolute ADC values and reproducibility caused by varying combinations of clinically realistic b values were demonstrated. Different RCMs caused smaller differences. Lowering maximum b value to 500 increased limits of agreement up to a factor of two. Serial ADC changes larger than approximately 15 % can be detected confidently on an individual basis in both malignant lesions and normal liver parenchyma at 3 T using appropriate b values and respiratory compensation.

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Title: Quantitative liver ADC measurements using diffusion-weighted MRI at 3 Tesla: evaluation of reproducibility and perfusion dependence using different techniques for respiratory compensation
Authors: Nis Elbrønd Larsen
Søren Haack
Lars Peter Skovgaard Larsen
Erik Morre Pedersen
Publication date: 01-10-2013
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine / Issue 5/2013
Print ISSN: 0968-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1352-8661
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-013-0375-6

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Quantitative liver ADC measurements using diffusion-weighted MRI at 3 Tesla: evaluation of reproducibility and perfusion dependence using different techniques for respiratory compensation

Abstract

Object

Materials and methods

Results

Conclusion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Object

Materials and methods

Results

Conclusion

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