Comparison of the Signal Difference Methodology with the Conventional Technique for DCE-MRI Perfusion Parameter Accuracy in the Presence of Flip Angle Deviations

Ping Wang¹, Jiangsheng Yu¹, Yiqun Xue¹, Xia Zhao¹, Mark Rosen¹, Hee Kwon Song¹

In conventional DCE-MRI, flip angle accuracy is important in accurately determining perfusion parameters. It has been shown previously that large flip angle deviations can occur throughout the body, resulting in erroneous perfusion measures. Recently, a simpler method for computing perfusion was proposed, in which the absolute signal difference is used without the need for baseline T1, contrast agent concentration measurements, or flip angle assumptions. In this study numerical simulations were used to systematically compare the performance of the signal difference methodology with the conventional technique in the presence of flip angle deviations.