Developing a tool for the validation of quantitative DCE-MRI
conference paper
Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE-MRI) is becoming an indispensable tool to non-invasively study tumor characteristics. However, many different DCE-analysis methods are currently being used. To compare and validate different methods, histology is the gold standard. For this purpose, exact co-localization between histology and MRI images is a prerequisite. In this study a methodology is developed to validate DCE-data with histology with an emphasis on correct registration of DCE-MRI and histological data. A pancreatic tumor was grown in a rat model. The tumor was dissected after MR imaging, embedded in paraffin, and cut into thin slices. These slices were stained with haematoxylin and eosin, digitized and stacked in a 3D volume. Next, the 3D histology was registered to ex-vivo SWI-weighted MR images, which in turn were registered to in-vivo SWI and DCE images to achieve correct co-localization. Semi-quantitative and quantitative parameters were calculated. Preliminary results suggest that both pharmacokinetic and heuristic DCE-parameters can discriminate between vital and non-vital tumor regions. The developed method offers the basis for an accurate spatial correlation between DCE-MRI derived parametric maps and histology, and facilitates the evaluation of different DCE-MRI analysis methods.
TNO Identifier
485126
Publisher
SPIE
Article nr.
79651J
Source title
Medical Imaging 2011: Biomedical Applications in Molecular, Structural, and Functional Imaging, 12 February 2011, Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA
Editor(s)
Weaver, J.B.
Molthen, R.C.
Molthen, R.C.
Place of publication
Bellingham, WA