Evaluation of Whole Brain Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) Imaging

Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) imaging provides non-invasive perfusion measurements, eliminating the need for contrast agents. This work explores the feasibility of IVIM imaging in whole brain perfusion studies, where an isotropic 1 mm voxel is widely accepted as a standard. This study follows the validity of a time-limited, precise, segmentation-ready whole-brain IVIM protocol suitable for clinical reality. To assess the influence of SNR on the estimation of S, f, D*, and D IVIM parameters, a series of measurements and simulations were performed in MATLAB for the following three estimation techniques: segmented grid search, segmented curve fitting, and one-step curve fitting, utilizing known "ground truth" and noised data. Scanner-specific SNR was estimated based on a healthy subject IVIM MRI study in a 3T scanner. Measurements were conducted for 25.6 × 25.6 × 14.4 cm FOV with a 256 × 256 in-plane resolution and 72 slices, resulting in 1 × 1 × 2 mm voxel size. Simulations were performed for 36 SNR levels around the measured SNR value. For a single voxel grid, the search algorithm mean relative error Ŝ₀, f^, D^*, and D^ of at the expected SNR level were 5.00%, 81.91%, 76.31%, and 18.34%, respectively. Analysis has shown that high-resolution IVIM imaging is possible, although there is significant variation in both accuracy and precision, depending on SNR and the chosen estimation method.