Optimization of IVIM-Diffusion MRI protocol for Quantifying Pancreatic Perfusion between Free-breath and Respiratory triggering controls
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Abstract
Background: Pancreatic steatosis and cancer are major health concerns linked to obesity and metabolic disorders. Because these conditions may alter pancreatic tissue microstructure and microcirculation, non-invasive imaging biomarkers capable of characterizing such changes are needed. Intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM-DWI) enables non-contrast quantification of diffusion and perfusion parameters, including the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), true diffusion coefficient (Dslow), pseudo-diffusion coefficient (Dfast), and perfusion fraction (f). However, parameter repeatability remains limitation in clinical use.
Objectives: This study aims to evaluate and compare the repeatability of Bayesian-based IVIM-DWI for pancreatic perfusion quantifications using free-breathing and respiratory-triggered acquisitions at both global and voxel levels.
Materials and methods: The study consisted of two parts: (1) an evaluation using the NIST/QIBA diffusion phantom to compare image quality and ADC variability between protocols using 10 and 13 b-values, and (2) an assessment in twenty young healthy volunteers to compare within coefficient of variation (wCV) of IVIM-DWI parameters between breathing control techniques of respiratory triggering (RT) and free-breathing (FB) using a 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner.
Results: The phantom study demonstrated that the protocol with 13 b-values provided superior image quality and significantly lower ADC variability than the one with 10 b-values (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, in the volunteer study, the within-subject coefficient of variation (%wCV) of IVIM-DWI parameters did not significantly differ between RT and FB techniques (p > 0.05). However, RT exhibited lower %wCV for Dslow and f, indicating better repeatability.
Conclusion: The IVIM-DWI protocol using 13 b-values is suitable for evaluating pancreatic perfusion and offers a stable estimation of the perfusion-related f parameter. This protocol appears to be appropriate as a preliminary standard that can be refined for use in clinic.
Keywords: IVIM-DWI, ADC, MRI, water diffusion, perfusion, repeatability
Article Details
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Personal views expressed by the contributors in their articles are not necessarily those of the Journal of Associated Medical Sciences, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University.
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