Principles of T₂*‐weighted dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI technique in brain tumor imaging

Abstract

Dynamic susceptibility contrast magnetic resonance imaging (DSC-MRI) is used to track the first pass of an exogenous, paramagnetic, nondiffusible contrast agent through brain tissue, and has emerged as a powerful tool in the characterization of brain tumor hemodynamics. DSC-MRI parameters can be helpful in many aspects, including tumor grading, prediction of treatment response, likelihood of malignant transformation, discrimination between tumor recurrence and radiation necrosis, and differentiation between true early progression and pseudoprogression. This review aims to provide a conceptual overview of the underlying principles of DSC-MRI of the brain for clinical neuroradiologists, scientists, or students wishing to improve their understanding of the technical aspects, pitfalls, and controversies of DSC perfusion MRI of the brain. Future consensus on image acquisition parameters and postprocessing of DSC-MRI will most likely allow this technique to be evaluated and used in high-quality multicenter studies and ultimately help guide clinical care.

Repeatability and sensitivity of measurements in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma at 3T

“…It is therefore desirable to directly measure these nonoxygen‐related contributions and to stratify tumors into more homogenous subgroups depending on disease site, level of edema, necrosis, and perfusion. Several methods for BV calculation using MRI have been proposed, including measurements of changes in $T_2^{*}$ induced by injection of paramagnetic contrast agents such as ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) particles33 and gadolinium chelates (dynamic susceptibility contrast [DSC] MRI34). To date, USPIO has been investigated clinically as an off‐label intravenous MRI contrast agent with various imaging applications35 and could be used in the context of BV measurements.…”

Correlation of Tumor Immunohistochemistry with Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced and DSC-MRI Parameters in Patients with Gliomas

“…For clinical applications, normalization of the CBV values against the contralateral white matter CBV has been recommended to obtain a relative CBV because for absolute quantification, the scaling factor converting signal intensity to contrast agent concentration is not known. 22,23 Normalization of CBV has been demonstrated to increase the repeatability of measurements, while arterial input function deconvolution may decrease it. 6 However, normalization also introduces noise in the measurements.…”

Advanced Imaging of Intracranial Meningiomas

“…Both techniques require rapid administration of intravenous gadolinium in a quick bolus, with rapid imaging of the area of interest performed, typically approximately 40 volumes in a 2-minute to 5-min-ute period. 2–4 …”