Simultaneous assessment of cerebral blood volume and diffusion heterogeneity using hybrid IVIM and DK MR imaging: initial experience with brain tumors.

Objectives: To investigate the feasibility of simultaneously assessing cerebral blood volume and diffusion heterogeneity using hybrid diffusion-kurtosis (DK) and intravoxel-incoherent-motion (IVIM) MR imaging.

Methods: Fifteen healthy volunteers and 30 patients with histologically proven brain tumours (25 WHO grade II-IV gliomas and five metastases) were recruited. On a 3-T system, diffusion-weighted imaging was performed with six b-values ranging from 0 to 1,700 s/mm.

Caveat of measuring perfusion indexes using intravoxel incoherent motion magnetic resonance imaging in the human brain.

Objectives: To numerically and experimentally investigate the robustness of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) magnetic resonance imaging in measuring perfusion indexes in the human brain.

Methods: Eighteen healthy volunteers were imaged on a 3 T clinical system. Data of IVIM imaging (12 b-values ranging from 0 to 1000 s/mm(2), 12 repetitions) were fitted with a bi-exponential model to extract blood volume fraction (f) and pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*).