The Influence of Model Used to Fit DW-MRI Data on Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Estimates and Their Reproducibility in Normal Tissues

Nina Tunariu¹, David J. Collins¹, Matthew Orton¹, James A. d'Arcy¹, Veronica A. Morgan¹, Sharon L. Giles¹, Nandita M. deSouza¹

Diffusion Weighted MRI is considered a potential biomarker for anticancer therapy response. The literature suggests that assumption of a simple exponential relationship between signal attenuation and b value for ADC calculation may be too simplistic and that using more complicated mathematical models which account for the non-monoexponential behaviour of the diffusion signal attenuation in tissues results in a better data fitting and potentially less variable ADC estimates. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of the mathematical model used to fit the DW-MRI data on the ADC values and their reproducibility.