Discriminating Locally advanced and Metastatic Lung Cancer using Restriction Spectrum Imaging and Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Model

A novel diffusion weighted imaging model called restriction spectrum imaging (RSI) captures the distinct diffusion behavior of tumors. The restricted diffusion correlates to tumor cellularity, a potential indicator of cancer aggressiveness. To assess its capability of characterizing lung cancer metastasis, we applied a three-compartment RSI model and intravoxel incoherent motion model to DWI images of locally advanced and metastatic lung cancer patients with the diagnosis of biopsy. The RSI model demonstrated its ability to discriminate the lung cancer of locally advanced (III) and metastatic (IV) stage, and the results outperforms the traditional IVIM model.