Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE-MRI): Insights About Arterial Input Function Definition, Model Selection and the Quantitative Signal Difference Method

Georges Hankov¹, Jill Fredrickson¹, Gregory Ferl¹, David Clayton¹, Alexandre Coimbra², Alexandre de Crespigny²

The use of DCE-MRI in multicenter therapeutic trials requires standardization, streamlined processing, and a focus on reproducibility. The purpose of this work was to assess the necessity of modeling the AIF and estimating the time lag between tissue and AIF uptake, and also evaluated the reproducibility of the Signal Difference [SD] method, using simulations and patient data. We found that modeling the AIF results in underestimation of the parameters, especially plasma volume, vp. Estimating the time lag increases vp estimates, without altering the other kinetic parameters. The simpler [SD] method was slightly more reproducible than the regular apparent concentration method.