title: Color-coded visualization of magnetic resonance imaging multiparametric maps.
abstract: Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) data are emergingly used in the clinic e.g. for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. In contrast to conventional MR imaging data, multiparametric data typically include functional measurements such as diffusion and perfusion imaging sequences. Conventionally, these measurements are visualized with a one-dimensional color scale, allowing only for one-dimensional information to be encoded. Yet, human perception places visual information in a three-dimensional color space. In theory, each dimension of this space can be utilized to encode visual information. We addressed this issue and developed a new method for tri-variate color-coded visualization of mpMRI data sets. We showed the usefulness of our method in a preclinical and in a clinical setting: In imaging data of a rat model of acute kidney injury, the method yielded characteristic visual patterns. In a clinical data set of N = 13 prostate cancer mpMRI data, we assessed diagnostic performance in a blinded study with N = 5 observers. Compared to conventional radiological evaluation, color-coded visualization was comparable in terms of positive and negative predictive values. Thus, we showed that human observers can successfully make use of the novel method. This method can be broadly applied to visualize different types of multivariate MRI data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.|Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Jakob Nikolas
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Kather
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weidner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Attenberger
authors.affiliation: Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bukschat
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Cleo-Aron
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Weis
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Meike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weis
authors.affiliation: Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Lothar R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Schad
authors.affiliation: Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank Gerrit
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Zöllner
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D055420:Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D051381:Rats