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Truly reproducible uniform estimation of the ADC with multi-b diffusion data- Application in prostate diffusion
Stefan Kuczera1,2, Fredrik Langkilde1, Stephan E Maier1,3
1Department of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Purpose:
The ADC is a well-established parameter for clinical diagnostic applications, but lacks reproducibility because it is also influenced by the choice diffusion weighting level. A framework is evaluated that is based on multi-b measurement over a wider range of diffusion-weighting levels and higher order tissue diffusion modeling with retrospective, fully reproducible ADC calculation.
Methods:
Averaging effect from curve fitting for various model functions at 20 linearly spaced b-values was determined by means of simulations and theoretical calculations. Simulation and patient multi-b image data were used to compare the new approach for diffusion-weighted image and ADC map reconstruction with and without Rician bias correction to an active clinical trial protocol probing three non-zero b-values.
Results:
Averaging effect at a certain b-value varies for model function and maximum b-value used. Images and ADC maps from the novel procedure are on-par with the clinical protocol. Higher order modeling and Rician bias correction is feasible, but comes at the cost of longer computation times.
Conclusions:
Application of the new framework makes higher order modeling more feasible in a clinical setting while still providing patient images and reproducible ADC maps of adequate quality.
