An Attempt to Integrate Diffusion Weighted and Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI

Abstract

Diffusion Weighted MRI (DWI) and Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) are Article History increasingly used for cancer assessment. Both modalities require adequate post-processing Received: May 16th, 2016 to extract useful information. DWI can be analyzed using the Intra-Voxel Incoherent Motion Accepted: May 24th, 2016 (IVIM) model while DCE-MRI can be analyzed using the Extended Tofts and Kermode (ETK) Published: May 24th, 2016 model. Both models have some parameters that can be estimated via numerical data-fitting procedures. The two mentioned models are typically fitted independently from each other. Citation However, noise superimposed on images can affect the reliability of estimated parameters. In Sansone M, Fusco R, Petrillo A. An this feasibility study, we propose to exploit the link between the two models in order to possibly attempt to integrate diffusion weighted improve the quality of fitting. Preliminary results suggest that IVIM fitting can be improved and dynamic contrast enhanced MRI. when both ETK and IVIM are performed. Radiol Open J. 2016; 1(1): 31-34.