B-Value Sampling Optimization for IVIM Diffusion Quantification in the Liver and Kidney at 1.5T and 3T

Hadrien A. Dyvorne¹, Guido H. Jajamovich¹, Niels Oesingmann², Thorsten Feiweier³, Ersin Bayram⁴, Bachir Taouli¹

We describe a method to optimize b value sampling for intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) DWI acquisition in the liver and kidney, relying on data acquired in 56 subjects on two different platforms (1.5 and 3T). Combinatory subsets of b values (from 4 to 15) were subsampled from an initial 16 b values distribution. IVIM parameters were compared between the subsets and the initial 16 b values distribution, and subsets achieving lowest parameter deviations were retained. A 9 b values distribution was selected that offers significant reduction in scan time while still allowing the closest parameter estimation compared to 16 b value acquisition.