Review

Estimating kinetic parameters from dynamic contrast-enhanced t1-weighted MRI of a diffusable tracer: Standardized quantities and symbols

  1. Paul S. Tofts DPhil1,*,
  2. Gunnar Brix PhD2,
  3. David L. Buckley PhD3,
  4. Jeffrey L. Evelhoch PhD4,
  5. Elizabeth Henderson5,
  6. Michael V. Knopp MD6,
  7. Henrik B.W. Larsson MD7,
  8. Ting-Yim Lee PhD5,
  9. Nina A. Mayr MD8,
  10. Geoffrey J.M. Parker PhD1,
  11. Ruediger E. Port MD6,
  12. June Taylor PhD9,
  13. Robert M. Weisskoff PhD10

Article first published online: 1 OCT 1999

DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1522-2586(199909)10:3<223::AID-JMRI2>3.0.CO;2-S

Issue

Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Special Issue: CONTRAST MRI, PART B

Volume 10, Issue 3, pages 223–232, September 1999

Additional Information

How to Cite

Tofts, P. S., Brix, G., Buckley, D. L., Evelhoch, J. L., Henderson, E., Knopp, M. V., Larsson, H. B., Lee, T.-Y., Mayr, N. A., Parker, G. J., Port, R. E., Taylor, J. and Weisskoff, R. M. (1999), Estimating kinetic parameters from dynamic contrast-enhanced t1-weighted MRI of a diffusable tracer: Standardized quantities and symbols. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 10: 223–232. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1522-2586(199909)10:3<223::AID-JMRI2>3.0.CO;2-S

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Clinical Neurology, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom.

  2. 2

    Department of Medical Radiation Hygiene, Federal Office of Radiation Protection, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.

  3. 3

    University of Florida, Department of Neuroscience, Gainesville, Florida 32610-0245.

  4. 4

    Wayne State University School of Medicine, Harper Hospital MR Center, Detroit, Michigan 48201.

  5. 5

    Imaging Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario, N6A 5K8, Canada.

  6. 6

    German Cancer Research Center, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.

  7. 7

    Danish Research Center of MR, Hvidovre University Hospital, Dk-2650 Hvidovre, Denmark.

  8. 8

    Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, 52242.

  9. 9

    Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105.

  10. 10

    MGH-NMR Center, Harvard University, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129.

*Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 1 OCT 1999
  2. Article first published online: 1 OCT 1999
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 13 JUL 1999
  4. Manuscript Received: 12 JUL 1999

Funded by

  • Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

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Keywords:

  • Gd-DTPA;
  • permeability;
  • perfusion;
  • transfer constant;
  • rate constant;
  • extravascular extracellular space

Abstract

We describe a standard set of quantity names and symbols related to the estimation of kinetic parameters from dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging data, using diffusable agents such as gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA). These include a) the volume transfer constant Ktrans (min−1); b) the volume of extravascular extracellular space (EES) per unit volume of tissue ve (0 < ve < 1); and c) the flux rate constant between EES and plasma kep (min−1). The rate constant is the ratio of the transfer constant to the EES (kep = Ktrans/ve). Under flow-limited conditions Ktrans equals the blood plasma flow per unit volume of tissue; under permeability-limited conditions Ktrans equals the permeability surface area product per unit volume of tissue. We relate these quantities to previously published work from our groups; our future publications will refer to these standardized terms, and we propose that these be adopted as international standards. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 10:223–232, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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