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Tensor-valued diffusion magnetic resonance imaging in a radiotherapy setting

Brynolfsson, Patrik LU ; Lerner, Minna LU ; Maly Sundgren, Pia LU orcid ; Jamtheim Gustafsson, Christian LU ; Nilsson, Markus LU ; Szczepankiewicz, Filip LU orcid and Olsson, Lars E LU orcid (2022) In Physics and imaging in radiation oncology 24. p.144-151
Abstract
Background and purpose
Diagnostic information about cell density variations and microscopic tissue anisotropy can be gained from tensor-valued diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These properties of tissue microstructure have the potential to become novel imaging biomarkers for radiotherapy response. However, tensor-valued diffusion encoding is more demanding than conventional encoding, and its compatibility with MR scanners that are dedicated to radiotherapy has not been established. Thus, our aim was to investigate the feasibility of tensor-valued diffusion MRI with radiotherapy dedicated MR equipment.
Material and methods
A tensor-valued diffusion protocol was implemented, and five healthy volunteers were scanned... (More)
Background and purpose
Diagnostic information about cell density variations and microscopic tissue anisotropy can be gained from tensor-valued diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These properties of tissue microstructure have the potential to become novel imaging biomarkers for radiotherapy response. However, tensor-valued diffusion encoding is more demanding than conventional encoding, and its compatibility with MR scanners that are dedicated to radiotherapy has not been established. Thus, our aim was to investigate the feasibility of tensor-valued diffusion MRI with radiotherapy dedicated MR equipment.
Material and methods
A tensor-valued diffusion protocol was implemented, and five healthy volunteers were scanned with different resolutions using conventional head coil and radiotherapy coil setup with fixation masks. Signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) was evaluated to assess the risk of signal bias due to rectified noise floor. We also evaluated the repeatability and reproducibility of the microstructure parameters. One patient with brain metastasis was scanned to investigate the image quality and the transferability of the setup to diseased tissue.
Results
A resolution of 3×3×3 mm3 provided images with SNR>3 for 93% of the voxels using radiotherapy coil setup. The parameter maps and repeatability characteristics were comparable to those observed with a conventional head coil. The patient evaluation demonstrated successful parameter analysis also in tumor tissue, with SNR>3 for 93% of the voxels.
Conclusion
We demonstrate that tensor-valued diffusion MRI is compatible with radiotherapy fixation masks and coil setup for investigations of microstructure parameters. The reported reproducibility may be used to plan future investigations of imaging biomarkers in brain cancer radiotherapy. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Physics and imaging in radiation oncology
volume
24
pages
8 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85142139322
  • pmid:36424981
ISSN
2405-6316
DOI
10.1016/j.phro.2022.11.005
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
88649d88-1475-49c1-873b-00edda979ac3
date added to LUP
2022-11-14 14:16:20
date last changed
2023-09-18 11:07:18
@article{88649d88-1475-49c1-873b-00edda979ac3,
  abstract     = {{Background and purpose<br/>Diagnostic information about cell density variations and microscopic tissue anisotropy can be gained from tensor-valued diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These properties of tissue microstructure have the potential to become novel imaging biomarkers for radiotherapy response. However, tensor-valued diffusion encoding is more demanding than conventional encoding, and its compatibility with MR scanners that are dedicated to radiotherapy has not been established. Thus, our aim was to investigate the feasibility of tensor-valued diffusion MRI with radiotherapy dedicated MR equipment.<br/>Material and methods<br/>A tensor-valued diffusion protocol was implemented, and five healthy volunteers were scanned with different resolutions using conventional head coil and radiotherapy coil setup with fixation masks. Signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) was evaluated to assess the risk of signal bias due to rectified noise floor. We also evaluated the repeatability and reproducibility of the microstructure parameters. One patient with brain metastasis was scanned to investigate the image quality and the transferability of the setup to diseased tissue.<br/>Results<br/>A resolution of 3×3×3 mm3 provided images with SNR&gt;3 for 93% of the voxels using radiotherapy coil setup. The parameter maps and repeatability characteristics were comparable to those observed with a conventional head coil. The patient evaluation demonstrated successful parameter analysis also in tumor tissue, with SNR&gt;3 for 93% of the voxels.<br/>Conclusion<br/>We demonstrate that tensor-valued diffusion MRI is compatible with radiotherapy fixation masks and coil setup for investigations of microstructure parameters. The reported reproducibility may be used to plan future investigations of imaging biomarkers in brain cancer radiotherapy.}},
  author       = {{Brynolfsson, Patrik and Lerner, Minna and Maly Sundgren, Pia and Jamtheim Gustafsson, Christian and Nilsson, Markus and Szczepankiewicz, Filip and Olsson, Lars E}},
  issn         = {{2405-6316}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{144--151}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Physics and imaging in radiation oncology}},
  title        = {{Tensor-valued diffusion magnetic resonance imaging in a radiotherapy setting}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.phro.2022.11.005}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.phro.2022.11.005}},
  volume       = {{24}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}