title: Automatic selection of arterial input function on dynamic contrast-enhanced MR images.
abstract: Dynamic susceptibility contrast-magnetic resonance imaging (DSC-MRI) data analysis requires the knowledge of the arterial input function (AIF) to quantify the cerebral blood flow (CBF), volume (CBV) and the mean transit time (MTT). AIF can be obtained either manually or using automatic algorithms. We present a method to derive the AIF on the middle cerebral artery (MCA). The algorithm draws a region of interest (ROI) where the MCA is located. Then, it uses a recursive cluster analysis on the ROI to select the arterial voxels. The algorithm had been compared on simulated data to literature state of art automatic algorithms and on clinical data to the manual procedure. On in silico data, our method allows to reconstruct the true AIF and it is less affected by partial volume effect bias than the other methods. In clinical data, automatic AIF provides CBF and MTT maps with a greater contrast level compared to manual AIF ones. Therefore, AIF obtained with the proposed method improves the estimate reliability and provides a quantitatively reliable physiological picture.
authors: University of Padova, Department of Information Engineering, Via Gradenigo 6/B, 35131 Padova, Italy.
authors: Denis
authors: D
authors: Peruzzo
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Bertoldo
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Zanderigo
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Cobelli
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001331:Automation; D003287:Contrast Media; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media