Background: Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) tensor imaging is a promising technique for diagnosis and monitoring of cardiovascular diseases. Knowledge about measurement repeatability, however, remains limited.
Purpose: To evaluate short-term repeatability of IVIM tensor imaging in normal in vivo human hearts.
Study Type: Prospective.
Population: Ten healthy subjects without history of heart diseases.
Field Strength/sequence: Balanced steady-state free-precession cine sequence and single-shot spin-echo echo planar IVIM tensor imaging sequence (9 b-values, 0-400 seconds/mm and six diffusion-encoding directions) at 3.0 T.
Assessment: Subjects were scanned twice with an interval of 15 minutes, leaving the scanner between studies. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was evaluated in anterior, lateral, septal, and inferior segments of the left ventricle wall. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), mean fraction (MF), and helix angle (HA) in the four segments were independently measured by five radiologists.
Statistical Tests: IVIM tensor indexes were compared between observers using a one-way analysis of variance or between scans using a paired t-test (normal data) or a Wilcoxon rank-sum test (non-normal data). Interobserver agreement and test-retest repeatability were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), within-subject coefficient of variation (WCV), and Bland-Altman limits of agreements.
Results: SNR of inferior segment was significantly lower than the other three segments, and inferior segment was therefore excluded from repeatability analysis. Interobserver repeatability was excellent for all IVIM tensor indexes (ICC: 0.886-0.972; WCV: 0.62%-4.22%). Test-retest repeatability was excellent for MD of the self-diffusion tensor (D) and MF of the perfusion fraction tensor (f ) (ICC: 0.803-0.888; WCV: 1.42%-9.51%) and moderate for FA and MD of the pseudo-diffusion tensor (D ) (ICC: 0.487-0.532; WCV: 6.98%-10.89%). FA of D and f and HA of D presented good test-retest repeatability (ICC: 0.732-0.788; WCV: 3.28%-8.71%).
Data Conclusion: The D and f indexes exhibited satisfactory repeatability, but further efforts were needed to improve repeatability of D indexes.
Level Of Evidence: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.
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