title: A comparative study of the sensitivity of diffusion-related parameters obtained from diffusion tensor imaging, diffusional kurtosis imaging, q-space analysis and bi-exponential modelling in the early disease course (24 h) of hyperacute (6 h) ischemic stroke patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the sensitivity and early temporal changes of diffusion parameters obtained from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI), q-space analysis (QSA) and bi-exponential modelling in hyperacute stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single investigational acquisition allowing the four diffusion analyses was performed on seven hyperacute stroke patients with a 3T system. The percentage change between ipsi- and contralateral regions were compared at admission and 24 h later. Two out of the seven patients were imaged every 6 h during this period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Kurtoses from both DKI and QSA were the most sensitive of the tested diffusion parameters in the few hours following ischemia. An early increase-maximum-decrease pattern of evolution was highlighted during the 24-h period for all parameters proportional to diffusion coefficients. A similar pattern was observed for both kurtoses in only one of two patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our comparison was performed using identical diffusion encoding timings and on patients in the same stage of their condition. Although preliminary, our findings confirm those of previous studies that showed enhanced sensitivity of kurtosis. A fine time mapping of diffusion metrics in hyperacute stroke patients was presented which advocates for further investigations on larger animal or human cohorts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Université Catholique de Louvain, 55, Avenue Hippocrate, 1200, Brussels, Belgium. gaetan.duchene@uclouvain.be.
authors.forename: Gaëtan
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9285-8319
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duchêne
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Université Catholique de Louvain, 55, Avenue Hippocrate, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Duprez
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Acute stroke; Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging; Neuroimaging