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Updated: Jun 17, 2026
10:46
Diffusion Imaging in the Rat Cervical Spinal Cord
Published on: April 7, 2015
Field strength and diffusion encoding technique affect the apparent diffusion coefficient measurements in
Brian M Dale1, Adam C Braithwaite, Daniel T Boll
1Siemens Healthcare, Cary, NC; and daggerDepartment of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Investigative Radiology
|December 23, 2009
Summary
Abdominal apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values vary with magnetic field strength and b-value selection. Liver ADC differs significantly between 1.5 T and 3 T scanners, while pancreas and spleen do not.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
- Diffusion Weighted Imaging
Background:
- Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values are crucial for characterizing abdominal tissues.
- Diffusion encoding techniques and magnetic field strength can influence ADC measurements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of different diffusion encoding methods and field strengths (1.5 T vs. 3 T) on abdominal ADC values in healthy individuals.
Main Methods:
- Sixteen healthy males underwent MRI at 1.5 T and 3 T.
- Acquired axial diffusion-weighted images using orthogonal and 3-scan trace weighted techniques with varying b-values.
- Calculated mean ADC values in the liver, spleen, and pancreas.
Main Results:
- Liver ADC values showed significant differences between 1.5 T and 3 T (P < 0.001).
- No significant differences in ADC were observed for pancreas (P = 0.427) or spleen (P = 0.167) between field strengths.
- ADC values decreased significantly with increasing b-value (P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Abdominal ADC measurements are influenced by b-value selection and scanner field strength.
- Scanner field strength significantly affects liver ADC, but not pancreas or spleen ADC.
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