Diffusion-weighted MRI: influence of intravoxel fat signal and breast density on breast tumor conspicuity and apparent diffusion coefficient measurements

Promising recent investigations have shown that breast malignancies exhibit restricted diffusion on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and may be distinguished from normal tissue and benign lesions in the breast based on differences in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. In this study, we assessed the influence of intravoxel fat signal on breast diffusion measures by comparing ADC values obtained using a diffusion-weighted single shot fast spin-echo sequence with and without fat suppression. The influence of breast density on ADC measures was also evaluated. ADC values were calculated for both tumor and normal fibroglandular tissue in a group of 21 women with diagnosed breast cancer. There were systematic underestimations of ADC for both tumor and normal breast tissue due to intravoxel contribution from fat signal on non–fat-suppressed DWI. This ADC underestimation was more pronounced for normal tissue values (mean difference=40%) than for tumors (mean difference=27%, P<.001) and was worse in women with low breast tissue density vs. those with extremely dense breasts (P<.05 for both tumor and normal tissue). Tumor conspicuity measured by contrast-to-noise ratio was significantly higher on ADC maps created with fat suppression and was not significantly associated with breast density. In summary, robust fat suppression is important for accurate breast ADC measures and optimal lesion conspicuity on DWI.     

An efficient non-iterative algorithm to estimate the apparent diffusion coefficient of water molecules in the magnetic resonance diffusion imaging experiments

Many studies have shown that the magnetic resonance signal decay with an extend range of diffusion weighting(b-factor)is a bi-exponential attenuation in the diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging experiments in vivo.Based on this feature and the two-compartmental model,we propose a twice-linear-fitting(TLF)algorithm to estimate the apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)of the water molecules instead of the commonly used iterative Levenberg–Marquardt(LM)method.The TLF algorithm consists of two liner fitting steps to estimate the fast and the slow apparent diffusion coefficients and their sizes,respectively.It is unnecessary to guess the initial values in the whole fitting process.The time consumption of the TLF algorithm is much less than that of the iterative LM method.Moreover,the TLF algorithm may avoid the extraneous solutions,which often deteriorates the results of the LM method.Compared with the iterative fitting method,the TLF algorithm is a reliable and timeefficient approach to estimate the ADC of water molecules in vivo in magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging experiments.     

正丁醇在N,N-二甲基甲酰胺+水溶液中的体积性质

测定了２９８。１５Ｋ时正丁醇＋Ｎ，Ｎ－二甲诺甲酰胺（ＤＭＦ）＋水三元系的密度求出正丁醇在ＤＭＦ＋水混合溶剂中的表观摩尔体积。观察２到：⑴Φ＾０．Ｅ～ｆｍ与ＶＤＭＦ＾Ｅ～ｆｍ之间存在相似变化关系，其中Φ２＾０．Ｅ为正丁醇的过量无限稀释表观摩尔体积，ＶＥＭＦ＾Ｅ为ＤＭＦ＋水二元系中ＤＭＦ的过量偏摩尔体积，ｆｍ为混合溶剂中ＤＭＦ的摩尔分数。⑵Ｂ１～ｆｍ与０６２１２＾０．Ｅ～ｆｍ之间存的反向变化关系。Ｂ１     

Incidence of apparent restricted diffusion in three different models of cerebral infarction

High speed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and short diffusion times are used to investigate the appearance of restricted diffusion in three different models of cerebral infarction. The models are: the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model in the rat, the carotid occlusion model in the gerbil, and the Rose Bengal microvascular occlusion model in the rat. All three were investigated for 16 b-values equally spaced between 10 and 1510 s/mm² using two distinct experiments. In the ct (constant time) experiment, the diffusion time was held constant at 11.7 ms while the b-value was varied with the gradient strength. In the cg (constant gradient) experiment, the gradient strength was held constant and the b-value increased by varying the diffusion time from 4.4 to 11.7 ms. A monoexponential decay of the signal intensity with b-value in the ct experiment accompanied by nonmonoexponential (NME) decay in the cg experiment is indicative of restricted diffusion. As this phenomenon is detectable only at short diffusion times, it cannot be due to restriction by impermeable membranes, and we have thus termed this apparent restriction. For the MCAO model and the carotid occlusion model, apparent restriction was found both inside the infarct territory and in some regions outside it. No definite evidence for restriction was found for the Rose Bengal model, which was, however, only studied from 24 h post-insult.     

Apparent viscosity of a mixture of a Newtonian fluid and interacting particles

We investigate the behavior of fluid–particle mixtures subject to shear stress, by mean of direct simulation. This approach is meant to give some hints to explain the influence of interacting red cells on the global behavior of the blood. We concentrate on the apparent viscosity, which we define as a macroscopic quantity which characterizes the resistance of a mixture against externally imposed shear motion. Our main purpose is to explain the non-monotonous variations of this apparent viscosity when a mixture of fluid and interacting particles is submitted to shear stress during a certain time interval. Our analysis of these variations is based on preliminary theoretical remarks, and some computations for some well-chosen static configurations. To cite this article: A. Lefebvre, B. Maury, C. R. Mecanique 333 (2005).     

Thermodynamics of aqueous solutions of poly ethylene glycol di-methyl ethers in the presence or absence of ammonium phosphate salts

Precise measurements of density and sound velocity at different temperatures ranging from 283.15 to 308.15 K for solutions of PEGDME250, PEGDME500 and PEGDME2000 in water and of PEGDME500 in aqueous solutions of 0.500 mol kg⁻¹ ammonium di-hydrogen phosphate ((NH₄)H₂PO₄) and di-ammonium hydrogen phosphate ((NH₄)₂HPO₄), binodal curves at temperature ranges 293.15-318.15 K for the aqueous PEGDME500 + (NH₄)₂HPO₄, PEGDME500 + (NH₄)₃PO₄, PEGDME2000 + (NH₄)H₂PO₄, PEGDME2000 + (NH₄)₂HPO₄, PEGDME2000 + (NH₄)₃PO₄ and PPG400 + (NH₄)₂HPO₄ two-phase systems, and liquid-liquid equilibrium data at temperature ranges 298.15-318.15 K for the aqueous PEGDME500 + (NH₄)₂HPO₄ and PEGDME2000 + (NH₄)₂HPO₄ two-phase systems have been taken. From the experimental density and sound velocity data, the apparent specific volume, excess specific volume, isentropic compressibility and isentropic compressibility deviation values have been determined and the effect of temperature, charge on the anion of electrolytes and molar mass of PEGDME on the volumetric and compressibility properties of the investigated polymer solutions as well as on the salting-out effect of PEGDMEs produced by ammonium phosphate salts has been studied.     

Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging of the normal breast

Purpose

The objective of this study was to evaluate diffusion anisotropy of the breast parenchyma and assess the range and repeatability of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters in normal breast tissue.

Materials and Methods

The study was approved by our institutional review board and included 12 healthy females (median age, 36 years). Diffusion tensor imaging was performed at 1.5 T using a diffusion-weighted echo planar imaging sequence. Diffusion tensor imaging parameters including tensor eigenvalues (λ₁, λ₂, λ₃), fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were measured for anterior, central and posterior breast regions.

Results

Mean normal breast DTI measures were λ₁=2.51×10⁻³ mm²/s, λ₂=1.89×10⁻³ mm²/s, λ₃=1.39×10⁻³ mm²/s, ADC=1.95±0.24×10⁻³ mm²/s and FA=0.29±0.05 for b=600 s/mm². Significant regional differences were observed for both FA and ADC (P<.05), with higher ADC in the central breast and higher FA in the posterior breast. Comparison of DTI values calculated using b=0, 600 s/mm² vs. b=0, 1000 s/mm², showed significant differences in ADC (P<.001), but not FA. Repeatability assessment produced within-subject coefficient of variations of 4.5% for ADC and 11.4% for FA measures.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates anisotropy of water diffusion in normal breast tissue and establishes a normative range of breast FA values. Attention to the influence of breast region and b value on breast DTI measurements may be important for clinical interpretation and standardization of techniques.