SpinDoctor-IVIM: A virtual imaging framework for intravoxel incoherent motion MRI.

Lashgari M., Yang Z., Bernabeu MO., Li J-R., Frangi AF.

Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging is increasingly recognised as an important tool in clinical MRI, where tissue perfusion and diffusion information can aid disease diagnosis, monitoring of patient recovery, and treatment outcome assessment. Currently, the discovery of biomarkers based on IVIM imaging, similar to other medical imaging modalities, is dependent on long preclinical and clinical validation pathways to link observable markers derived from images with the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. To speed up this process, virtual IVIM imaging is proposed. This approach provides an efficient virtual imaging tool to design, evaluate, and optimise novel approaches for IVIM imaging. In this work, virtual IVIM imaging is developed through a new finite element solver, SpinDoctor-IVIM, which extends SpinDoctor, a diffusion MRI simulation toolbox. SpinDoctor-IVIM simulates IVIM imaging signals by solving the generalised Bloch-Torrey partial differential equation. The input velocity to SpinDoctor-IVIM is computed using HemeLB, an established Lattice Boltzmann blood flow simulator. Contrary to previous approaches, SpinDoctor-IVIM accounts for volumetric microvasculature during blood flow simulations, incorporates diffusion phenomena in the intravascular space, and accounts for the permeability between the intravascular and extravascular spaces. The above-mentioned features of the proposed framework are illustrated with simulations on a realistic microvasculature model.

DOI

10.1016/j.media.2024.103369

Type

Journal article

Publication Date

2025-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Volume

99

Keywords

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, Finite element method, Generalised Bloch–Torrey equation, Intravoxel incoherent motion imaging, Virtual imaging, Humans, Motion, Algorithms, Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted, Sensitivity and Specificity, Image Enhancement, Reproducibility of Results, Computer Simulation, Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging, User-Computer Interface, Imaging, Three-Dimensional

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