Multiparametric Dynamic Contrast Imaging for Voxelwise Quantitative Assessment of Brain Tumors

Area of Science:

• Radiology and Medical Imaging
• Neuro-oncology
• Biophysics

Background:

• Accurate characterization of brain tumors is crucial for effective treatment planning and monitoring.
• Current imaging techniques may not provide comprehensive, voxelwise quantitative data on tumor microenvironment.
• Multiparametric assessment can reveal intratumoral heterogeneity and differentiate tumor progression from treatment effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a multiparametric dynamic contrast imaging (mpDYCI) technique for simultaneous quantification of brain tissue perfusion, microvasculature permeability, transmembrane water efflux, and susceptibility.
• To enable voxelwise multifaceted quantitative assessment of brain tumors integrated into routine imaging protocols.
• To explore the clinical utility of mpDYCI in characterizing brain tumors and differentiating treatment-related effects.

Main Methods:

• Prospective evaluation of the mpDYCI technique, utilizing an MR Multitasking-based dynamic T1 and T2* mapping method.
• Incorporation of technical optimizations in pulse sequence, image reconstruction, and quantification for robust whole-brain multiparametric analysis.
• Assessment of intersession repeatability and accuracy using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) in digital phantoms and in vivo experiments with healthy participants and brain tumor patients.

Main Results:

• Quantitative metrics from mpDYCI showed good to excellent repeatability (ICC ≥ 0.80) and accuracy (≤ 15.21% error).
• mpDYCI successfully captured intratumoral heterogeneity, confirmed by histogram analysis, voxel clustering, and histologic validation.
• Low voxelwise correlations between metrics indicated complementary information, and mpDYCI showed potential in differentiating treatment effects from tumor progression in brain metastases.

Conclusions:

• The developed mpDYCI technique enables simultaneous quantification of perfusion, permeability, water efflux, and susceptibility in a single 7.5-minute scan.
• This method provides comprehensive voxelwise characterization of brain tumors, offering complementary multiparametric information.
• mpDYCI holds promise for routine integration into brain tumor imaging protocols for enhanced diagnostic capabilities.