Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) in Healthy Kidney: Influence of Renal Flow Challenge

Eric Edward Sigmund¹, Pierre Hughes Vivier¹, Nicole Lamparello¹, Dabang Sui¹, Artem Mikheev¹, Henry Rusinek¹, Vivian S. Lee¹, Lei Zhang¹, Hersh Chandarana¹

Renal fluid transport is a superposition of flow, resorption, and diffusion, and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the kidney is correspondingly complex. Advanced DWI protocols have emerged, such as intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) for flow/diffusion separation, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for measurement of flow or structural anisotropy. We employed these two approaches in a cohort of normal volunteers undergoing MRI at baseline and following two flow challenges (hydration and furosemide). Six diffusion metrics (apparent diffusion coefficient ADC, tissue diffusivity Dt, perfusion fraction fp, pseudodiffusivity Dp, mean diffusivity MD, fractional anisotropy FA) were evaluated for reproducibility, tissue contrast, and challenge response.