Characterization of image heterogeneity using 2D Minkowski functionals increases the sensitivity of detection of a targeted MRI contrast agent.
A targeted Gd(3+)-based contrast agent has been developed that detects tumor cell death by binding to the phosphatidylserine (PS) exposed on the plasma membrane of dying cells. Although this agent has been used to detect tumor cell death in vivo, the differences in signal intensity between treated and untreated tumors was relatively small. As cell death is often spatially heterogeneous within tumors, we investigated whether an image analysis technique that parameterizes heterogeneity could be used to increase the sensitivity of detection of this targeted contrast agent. Two-dimensional (2D) Minkowski functionals (MFs) provided an automated and reliable method for parameterization of image heterogeneity, which does not require prior assumptions about the number of regions or features in the image, and were shown to increase the sensitivity of detection of the contrast agent as compared to simple signal intensity analysis.
Canuto
Holly C
HC
Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
McLachlan
Charles
C
Kettunen
Mikko I
MI
Velic
Marko
M
Krishnan
Anant S
AS
Neves
Andre' A
AA
de Backer
Maaike
M
Hu
D-E
DE
Hobson
Michael P
MP
Brindle
Kevin M
KM
D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003287:Contrast Media; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D003287:Contrast Media