Technical Note: Quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of a 3-dimensional artificial capillary network

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Biomarker Development
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Background:

• Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) faces challenges in quantitative biomarker application due to variability.
• Standardization is crucial for widespread clinical adoption of DCE-MRI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and characterize a microchannel phantom for quantitative DCE-MRI.
• To establish a reliable model for DCE-MRI measurements.

Main Methods:

• Constructed a perfusable, MR-compatible microchannel network using sugar fibers in epoxy resin.
• Evaluated flow-dependency and reproducibility of DCE parameters using a 3.0T MRI scanner.
• Utilized a standard contrast agent injection system for dynamic acquisition.

Main Results:

• Semi-quantitative and quantitative flow parameters showed strong correlation with flow rate (r=0.991, P<2.5e-5).
• Volume fraction was independent of flow rate.
• Intrascanner coefficients of variation for quantitative parameters were below 4.6%, demonstrating high reproducibility.

Conclusions:

• The developed phantom facilitates reproducible, flow-dependent DCE-MRI.
• This model has the potential to standardize DCE-MRI examinations for improved comparability.