Error analysis in T1-weighted DCE-MRI

In bolus-tracking MRI, a bolus of paramagnetic tracer is injected intravenously, and the signal changes induced by the tracer are measured in an organ-of-interest using a fast dynamic imaging sequence [1]. The objective is to measure hemodynamic properties of body tissue. For this purpose, two signal-time curves must be measured: one inside the feeding artery (the arterial input function AIF), and one in the tissue of interest. Data analysis essentially involves two separate steps: first, the concentration-time curves of the tracer must be derived from the measured signal-time curves; second, the tissue’s hemodynamic properties must be derived from the arterialand tissue concentrations using the principles from tracer-kinetic theory [2,3].