Evaluation of Fast Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging Using New Software Designed for Widespread Clinical Use

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Biophysics

Background:

• Diffusion kurtosis (DK) imaging shows promise in diagnosing neurological conditions like cerebral infarctions, neurodegenerative diseases, and tumors.
• Clinical adoption of DK imaging is limited by lengthy acquisition times and proprietary software requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a fast DK imaging technique using accessible software to facilitate wider clinical research and application.
• To assess the feasibility of using general-purpose software (Microsoft Excel, ImageJ) for DK image generation.

Main Methods:

• Developed a macro program for DK image creation using Microsoft Excel and ImageJ.
• Evaluated the fast DK imaging technique using bio-phantoms and a healthy volunteer.
• Compared DK images acquired with short-time sequences (3 b-values) to those from long-time sequences (5 b-values).

Main Results:

• Fast DK images generated with the new software were comparable to conventionally acquired DK images.
• Utilizing three b-values significantly reduced imaging time by 43% without compromising image quality.
• The developed technique demonstrated equivalence between 3-b-value and 5-b-value DK imaging.

Conclusions:

• The novel, fast DK imaging technique enables efficient image creation using inexpensive, widely available software.
• This method has the potential to increase the daily clinical utility and research accessibility of DK imaging across medical facilities.
• The findings support the broader implementation of DK imaging in clinical practice and research settings.