These factors can significantly affect the quality of the parametric maps generated from imaging data. The choice of contrast agent, each with unique pharmacokinetic properties and thus behavior in vivo, also vary greatly between studies. Differences in hardware such as the MRI field strength, coil setups and sequence types available at different institutions can affect the quality of the images acquired and constrain the choice of certain parameters such as the volume of interest, spatial and temporal resolution. This is in part because implementation and standardization of DCE-MRI is challenging. Īlthough several individual studies have demonstrated the promise of DCE-MRI as an imaging biomarker, widespread clinical adoption of this technique remains limited. The use of DCE-MRI has also been explored in other fields such as obstetrics and the neurosciences. Studies have especially focused on using DCE-MRI to characterize tumor phenotypes or to evaluate the response of tumors to therapy. Given the inherent leakiness of tumor blood vessels (which enhances the signal observed at the tumor site due to more CA leakage), the majority of DCE-MRI studies have focused on oncology applications. The physiological properties of the tissue of interest are inferred by analyzing the image signal change kinetics induced by the CA within the tissue region of interest (ROI).
In particular, physiological information garnered from techniques such as diffusion MRI, blood oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) MRI, iron-oxide imaging, dynamic susceptibility MRI (DSC-MRI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) are being explored as imaging biomarkers in virtually all aspects of medicine, especially in oncology and neurological diseases.ĭCE-MRI involves the rapid serial acquisition of T1-weighted images before, during and after intravenous injection of a contrast agent (CA).
The utility of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies to diagnose diseases, characterize their progression, and evaluate treatment response is a topic of vigorous research.
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