title: Optimization of DCE-MRI protocol for the assessment of patients with brain tumors.
abstract: The interstitium-to-plasma rate constant (kep), extracted from dynamic contrast enhancement (DCE-MRI) MRI data, seems to have an important role in the assessment of patients with brain tumors. This parameter is affected by the slow behavior of the system, and thus is expected to be highly dependent on acquisition duration. The aim of this study was to optimize the scan duration and protocol of DCE-MRI for accurate estimation of the kepparameter in patients with high grade brain tumors. The effects of DCE-MRI scan duration and protocol design (continuous vs integrated scanning) on the estimated pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters and on model selection, were studied using both simulated and patient data. Scan duration varied, up to 60min for simulated data, and up to 25min in 25 MRI scans obtained from patients with high grade brain tumors, with continuous and integrated scanning protocols. Converging results were obtained from simulated and real data. Significant effect of scan duration was detected on kep. Scan duration of 9min, with integrated protocol in which the data are acquired continuously for 5min, and additional volumes at 7 and 9min, was sufficient for accurate estimation of even low kepvalues, with an average error of 3%. Over-estimation of the PK parameters was detected for scan duration <12min, being more pronounced at low kepvalues (<0.1min-1). For the model selection maps, significantly lower percentage of the full extended-Tofts-model (ETM) was selected in patients at scan duration of 5min compared to >12min. An integrated protocol of 9min is suggested as optimal for clinical use in patients with high grade brain tumors. Lower acquisition time may result in over-estimation of kepwhen using ETM, and therefore care should be taken using model selection.
authors.affiliation: Functional Brain Center, The Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Moran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Artzi
authors.affiliation: Functional Brain Center, The Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Chemical Physics, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: Gilad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liberman
authors.affiliation: Functional Brain Center, The Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel; Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nadav
authors.affiliation: Neuro-Oncology Service, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Deborah T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Blumenthal
authors.affiliation: Neuro-Oncology Service, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bokstein
authors.affiliation: Functional Brain Center, The Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Orna
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Aizenstein
authors.affiliation: Functional Brain Center, The Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: dafnab@tlvmc.gov.il.
authors.forename: Dafna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ben Bashat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Brain tumors; Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI); Interstitium to plasma rate constant (k(ep)); Model selection; Pharmacokinetic parameters (PK)