Brain tumour differentiation capability of GE-SE EPIK derived MR-parameter combinations

Motivation: GE-SE EPIK provides fast access to multiple MR parameters: T2, T2*, R2', vCBV and OEF, within 2 minutes of measurement time for full-brain data. Goal(s): Improve the capability to differentiate different brain tumour types (n=69) using combinations of GE-SE EPIK-derived MR parameters. Approach: Compare several combinations of the original MR parameters in the form of sum, subtraction, multiplication and division between each of the different tumour types by t-test statistics. Results: No parameter combination differentiates astrocytoma from oligodendrogliomas; only T2/R2' differentiates metastasis from glioblastomas. Parameter differences provide the greatest number of significant differences, particularly between metastasis and oligodendrogliomas. Impact: 10-echo GE-SE EPIK provides fast access to multiple MR-parameters (T2, T2*, R2', vCBV, OEF). Combinations of GE-SE EPIK-derived MR parameters improve differentiation between brain tumour types, with the greatest potential achieved by taking the difference between each parameter pair.