Bio-Mathematical Modelling in Tumor Evaluation Via Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
The main technical issues in DCE-MRI concern the trade-off between time-space resolution and accurate quantification of contrast medium concentration. They both affect the accuracy of bio-mathematical modelling typically used in DCE assessment of the tumor.
In the early years of DCE, radiologists mainly looked at the shape of the time-intensity curve of a single voxel or averaged regions of interest; in fact, it had been observed that, after contrast medium administration, a typical aggressive tumor showed a wash-in and a wash-out phase while a benign lesion showed a slow absorption rate.
However, this type of analysis was strongly reader-dependent and did not allow to easily and quantitatively compare subsequent studies of the same subject or studies from different subjects. It was clear that a more quantitative approach was needed.
Several groups proposed to use bio-mathematical models to analyze DCE data. These early models are based mainly on tissue compartmentalization and the interesting parameters are the kinetics constants of exchange across compartments that are related to the permeability of the vessel walls: in fact, immature, leaky vessels should show a higher permeability.
However, these models are a strong simplification of reality because of limitation of the technical equipments available at that time. In fact, the need for high resolution images prevented fast acquisition of multiple series.
Therefore, it is important for the radiologists evaluating the parametric maps to be supported by specialised professionals
in the interpretation of these maps in order to take into account the quality of the map reconstruction.
Radiol Open J. 2016; 1(2): e11-e13. doi: 10.17140/ROJ-1-e003
