Key result
Computer modeling of BOLD-VSI calculations demonstrated that noise can cause both overestimates and underestimates of the mean vessel radius, confirmed by a 3T validation study.
Noise significantly impacts the accuracy of BOLD-mediated vessel size imaging, leading to both over- and underestimates of mean vessel radius.
Noise bias in BOLD-VSI warrants caution in vessel radius estimates; leaves open need for noise-robust methods before research translation.
Vessel size imaging (VSI) is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that aims to provide quantitative measurements of tissue microvasculature. An emerging variation of this technique uses the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) effect as the source of the imaging contrast. Gas challenges have the advantage over contrast injection techniques in that they are noninvasive and easily repeatable because of the fast washout of the contrast. However, initial results from BOLD-VSI studies are somewhat contradictory, with substantially different estimates of the mean vessel radius. Owing to BOLD-VSI being an emerging technique, there is not yet a standard processing methodology, and different techniques have been used to calculate the mean vessel radius and reject uncertain estimates. In addition, the acquisition methodology and signal modeling vary from group to group. Owing to these differences, it is difficult to determine the source of this variation. Here we use computer modeling to assess the impact of noise on the accuracy and precision of different BOLD-VSI calculations. Our results show both potential overestimates and underestimates of the mean vessel radius, which is confirmed with a validation study at 3T.
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Germuska et al. (2013) studied Tissue microvasculature imaging. Noise in BOLD-VSI calculations was evaluated on Accuracy and precision of mean vessel radius estimates. Computer modeling of BOLD-VSI calculations demonstrated that noise can cause both overestimates and underestimates of the mean vessel radius, confirmed by a 3T validation study.
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