Computed Diffusion Weighted Imaging Under Rician Noise Distribution

Tokunori Kimura¹, Yuataka Machii¹

A technique of computed diffusion weighted imaging (cDWI) allowing to generate high b-value equivalent DWI images from low b-value images was assessed. In this study, simulation, phantom and volunteer study were performed to optimize b-values for the range of biologic tissue ADC under Rician noise. cDWI could provide better SNR images than the mDWI when original data SNRs were kept >3, by reducing background signals below noise bias which is problematic on standard mDWI. In conclusion, cDWI at optimum conditions can provide high CNR body diffusion imaging especially for higher ADC and shorter T2 tissues under Rician noise.