Abstract #4321

Repeatability of Diffusion-Weighted Imaging Model Parameters within a Benign Breast Cancer Cohort Influences Optimal Model Choice

Neil Peter Jerome^1,2, Igor Vidic³, Liv Egnell^2,3, Torill E. Sjøbakk¹, Agnes Østlie², Hans E. Fjøsne^4,5, Pål Erik Goa^2,3, and Tone F. Bathen¹

¹Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology - NTNU, Trondheim, Norway, ²Clinic of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway, ³Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology - NTNU, Trondheim, Norway, ⁴Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology - NTNU, Trondheim, Norway, ⁵Department of Surgery, St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway

Diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) is an essential tool in oncology. Diffusion models beyond monoexponential fitting attempt to capture non-Gaussian decay using additional data acquisition. Model repeatability and suitability is critical, but often neglected. We report findings from fitting multiple diffusion models in a benign breast cancer repeatability cohort, and show no clear dominance of diffusion models across voxels, patients, or scans. Repeatability of ADC, IVIM, and stretched exponential parameters are reported, and highlight the complexity of making inferences from DWI parameters.The potential of DWI in oncology is tempered by a need for critical appraisal of the model and parameter applicability.

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