title: Technical Note: Quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of a 3-dimensional artificial capillary network.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Variability across devices, patients, and time still hinders widespread recognition of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) as quantitative biomarker. The purpose of this work was to introduce and characterize a dedicated microchannel phantom as a model for quantitative DCE-MRI measurements.
  
  
  METHODS
  A perfusable, MR-compatible microchannel network was constructed on the basis of sacrificial melt-spun sugar fibers embedded in a block of epoxy resin. Structural analysis was performed on the basis of light microscopy images before DCE-MRI experiments. During dynamic acquisition the capillary network was perfused with a standard contrast agent injection system. Flow-dependency, as well as inter- and intrascanner reproducibility of the computed DCE parameters were evaluated using a 3.0 T whole-body MRI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Semi-quantitative and quantitative flow-related parameters exhibited the expected proportionality to the set flow rate (mean Pearson correlation coefficient: 0.991, P < 2.5e-5). The volume fraction was approximately independent from changes of the applied flow rate through the phantom. Repeatability and reproducibility experiments yielded maximum intrascanner coefficients of variation (CV) of 4.6% for quantitative parameters. All evaluated parameters were well in the range of known in vivo results for the applied flow rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The constructed phantom enables reproducible, flow-dependent, contrast-enhanced MR measurements with the potential to facilitate standardization and comparability of DCE-MRI examinations.
authors.affiliation: Josef Lissner Laboratory for Biomedical Imaging, Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany.|Comprehensive Pneumology Center, German Center for Lung Research, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gaass
authors.affiliation: Josef Lissner Laboratory for Biomedical Imaging, Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany.|Comprehensive Pneumology Center, German Center for Lung Research, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Moritz Jörg
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Josef Lissner Laboratory for Biomedical Imaging, Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dietrich
authors.affiliation: Josef Lissner Laboratory for Biomedical Imaging, Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ingrisch
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Pneumology Center, German Center for Lung Research, Munich, Germany.|Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dinkel
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: 
  MRI
  ; dynamic contrast-enhanced; phantom; quantitative imaging