Ryan Pathak1, Neil A Thacker2, David M Morris2, Philippe Garteiser3, Sabrina Doblas3, Bernard E. Van Beers3, Houshang Amiri4, Arend Heerschap4, and Alan Jackson1
1The Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, 2Centre for Imaging Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, 3Laboratory of imaging biomarkers, INSERM, Paris Diderot University, Paris, France, 4Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
Synopsis
ADC, calculated from diffusion-weighted MRI, is a potential quantitative
imaging biomarker for detection of early treatment response. Imaging in the
liver suffers from poor reproducibility, mainly as a result of respiratory
motion. In this study we compare reproducibility in a multi-site,
multi vendor setting at both 1.5 T and 3 T field strengths, for patients
histologically diagnosed with colorectal cancer, who have radiological evidence
of liver metastasis.Target Audience
This work is relevant to investigators who
intend to use Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) measurements as a
quantitative biomarker for tumour response to drug therapy, where study design
includes multiple sites, vendors and MRI field strengths.
Purpose
The QuIC-ConCePT
1 project is a pan European collaboration. ADC is
the decay constant for signal loss between diffusion-weighted MRI
images (DWI) of increasing diffusion sensitivity (image b-value). Lower ADC
indicate fluid restriction within a cell-dense tumour. Following
successful treatment, a tumour undergoes cell death and necrosis. Significant increase in ADC is a potential imaging biomarker for early
treatment response in drug trials. Large trials recruit from multiple sites,
where scanners and field strengths may vary. It is important to establish a
standardised DWI acquisition and ADC analysis method that is consistent and
reproducible. In our previous work using 1.5 T only
2,
we compared different ROI methodologies using freely available software
(Osirix) and developed a statistical model to estimate expected errors for
individual measurements. We concluded that ROI volume inversely affects
reproducibility regardless of methodology. As part of QuIC-ConCePT, a software
platform has been developed (Keosys Imagys) that allows all collaborators to
upload data for central analysis. Our ADC analysis methods
3 have
been incorporated into a standardised region definition and analysis tool that
can directly compare multi-site ADC reproducibility of 3D regions at 1.5 T and
3 T.
Methods
Following ethical approval and informed consent,
data was acquired from the 5 sites (vendor details and short
hand in parenthesis); VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam (Site A, GE
Signa HDxt 1.5 T), University of Manchester (Site B, Philips Achieva 1.5 T),
Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (Site C, Siemens Magnetom Avanto 1.5
T and Siemens Trio 3 T), Institute of Cancer Research, Royal Marsden
Hospital, London (Site D, Siemens Magnetom Avanto 1.5 T), French Institute of
Health and Medical Research, INSERM, Paris (Site F1,Philips Ingenia 3.0T and
Site F2, GE Discovey 3 T). Patients were scanned twice within 14 days. Manual
whole tumour ROIs were defined on b-100 (1.5 T) or b-150 (3 T)
images, (excluding first and last slices to minimise partial voluming). A
single lesion was chosen based on size and location (right lobe, away from
the heart or diaphragm where possible). Coefficent of Variance (CoV) of
test-retest volumes was used to compare the software platform to previous
Osirix-based analysis. Voxel ADC values were calculated from the
mono-exponential fit (corrected for high b-value SNR bias) from 3 b-value
images (100, 500, 900 s/mm2 for 1.5 T and 150, 400, 800 s/mm2).
ADC metrics (mean, median, ΔADC%) were calculated from the ROI
histograms. Reproducibility was measured using CoV. Average fit failure
rates between sites and field strengths were compared. Datasets were
categorised according to quality. Lesions subjected to visible
motion, low SNR, poorly positioned (sub-phrenic or right heart border)
or cystic, were identified prior to analysis. Bland-Altman style
plots of tumour volume against percentage change in ADC (ΔADC%) were compared
between field strengths.
Results
32 patients were recruited between 2012 to 2015 (M:F
ratio 4.33:1, median age 64, range 44-77). Recruitment per site (1.5 T) was; Site A (5), Site B (5), Site C (5), Site D (5). Recruitment per site (3 T) was; Site C (4), Site F1 (5), Site F2 (3). The Imagys
platform compared favourably to previous work where tumours were defined on
Osirix (CoV 8% vs 9%). At 1.5 T and 3 T respectively, average absolute mean ADC
was 112 x 10-5 mm2/s
(range 79 – 214 x 10-5 mm2/s) and 140 x 10-5 mm2/s
(range 85 – 214 x 10-5 mm2/s). Overall reproducibility at 3 T also compared
favourably to 1.5 T (CoV 6.4% vs 7.3% for mean ADC). The percentage of voxel
ADC fit failures was significantly higher for 3 T data. Bland Altman style
plots show a clear trend towards improved reproducibility with increasing tumour
volume (i.e. sample size). Datasets subjectively categorised according to
quality are highlighted.
Discussion
We expect reproducibility to
be dependent on tumour size, SNR, tissue heterogeneity and motion
1.
Overall reproducibility of ADC (mean, median) was similar between field
strengths. Site F2 (n=3) enhances overall 3 T CoV, as two data sets were mostly
cystic (homogenous). Lesions with very low SNR have a similar profile, i.e.
appear homogenous. At both field strengths, the majority of outliers were
subject to motion. The furthest outlier (3 T) had a fitting error of 30%
despite no obvious quality issue. 3 T data is affected by
ADC fit failure. Further work is required to improve the fitting routine for 3 T
datasets.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to
our collaborators who collected the data: the Institute of Cancer Research
(London), Radboud University of Nijmegan, VU University Medical Centre of
Amsterdam, Inserm, Center For Research on Inflammation, and the Chrisite Hospital
Manchester. With thanks to David Collins, Naomi Douglas, and Joost PA Kuijer.
Our study received support from the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint
Undertaking (www.imi.europa.eu)
under grant agreement number 115151, resources of which are composed of
financial contribution from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme
(FP7/2007-2013) and EFPIA companies’ in kind contribution.References
1. Pathak et al ISMRM
2015 (abstract 2869)
2. http://www.quic-concept.eu/
3. http://www.tina-vision.net/docs/memos/2014-007.pdf