Determination of physiological parameters of tissue from dynamic contrast-enhanced MR data

1. A computer implemented method of determining microvascular architecture, the method comprising:

using a magnetic resonance imaging system, acquiring dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance data from a contrast agent administered to at least a part of a subject to be examined;

simultaneously computing a leakage parameter (k ep ) and a dispersion parameter (κ) from the dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance data taking into account effects of both convective dispersion and extravasation kinetics of the contrast agent, wherein computing comprises:

deriving a full dispersion model (FDM) or a reduced dispersion model (RDM) of intravascular and extravascular concentrations from a modified local density random walk model, and

modeling convective dispersion by fitting a time concentration curve (TCC), that is measured from the magnetic resonance data, to the FDM or RDM of intravascular and extravascular concentrations,

wherein the simultaneous computing does not include estimation or measurement of an arterial input function; and

displaying parametric maps of the leakage parameter (k ep ) and the dispersion parameter (κ).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the administered contrast agent's bolus' progression in the part of the subject is approximated by a normal (Gaussian) distribution.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein in the convective dispersion a capillary component is neglected.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein:

in the extravasation kinetics, a monocomponent representation of leakage is employed.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the leakage parameter (k ep ) is computed as a ratio of an extravascular-leakage time constant (1/K trans ) and a fractional volume of extravascular space (V e ).

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the leakage parameter (k ep ) is computed as a ratio of an extravascular-leakage time constant (1/K trans ) and a fractional volume of extravascular space (V e ).

7. A device to perform a method for determining microvascular architecture, the device comprising:

a magnetic resonance imaging system operative to acquire dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance data from a contrast agent administered to at least a part of a subject to be examined;

a computer programmed to simultaneously compute a leakage parameter (k ep ) and a dispersion parameter (κ) from the dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance data taking into account effects of both convective dispersion and extravasation kinetics of the contrast agent, wherein computing comprises:

deriving a reduced dispersion model (RDM) of intravascular and extravascular concentrations in which contribution of the capillary compartment to the magnetic resonance data is considered negligible from a modified local density random walk model,

modeling convective dispersion by fitting a time concentration curve (TCC), that is measured from the magnetic resonance data, to the RDM of intravascular and extravascular concentrations in which contribution of the capillary compartment to the magnetic resonance data is considered negligible, and

displaying parametric maps of at least one of the leakage parameter (k ep ) and the dispersion parameter (κ).

8. The device of claim 7 wherein a monocomponent representation of leakage is employed in the computing extravasation kinetics.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the leakage parameter (k ep ) is computed as a ratio of an extravascular-leakage time constant (1/K trans ) and a fractional volume of extravascular space (V e ).