Magnetic resonance biomarker assessment software (MR-BIAS): an automated open-source tool for the ISMRM/NIST system phantom

Korte, JC; Chin, Z; Carr, M; Holloway, L; Franich, R

Author(s): Korte, JC; Chin, Z; Carr, M; Holloway, L; Franich, R;
Details: Publication Year 2023-03-10,Volume 68,Issue #6,Page 06NT01
Journal Title: Physics in Medicine and Biology
Publication Type: Research article
Abstract: Objective.To provide an open-source software for repeatable and efficient quantification ofT(1)andT(2)relaxation times with the ISMRM/NIST system phantom. Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) biomarkers have the potential to improve disease detection, staging and monitoring of treatment response. Reference objects, such as the system phantom, play a major role in translating qMRI methods into the clinic. The currently available open-source software for ISMRM/NIST system phantom analysis, Phantom Viewer (PV), includes manual steps that are subject to variability.Approach.We developed the Magnetic Resonance BIomarker Assessment Software (MR-BIAS) to automatically extract system phantom relaxation times. The inter-observer variability (IOV) and time efficiency of MR-BIAS and PV was observed in six volunteers analysing three phantom datasets. The IOV was measured with the coefficient of variation (CV) of percent bias (%bias) inT(1)andT(2)with respect to NMR reference values. The accuracy of MR-BIAS was compared to a custom script from a published study of twelve phantom datasets. This included comparison of overall bias and %bias for variable inversion recovery (T(1)(VIR)), variable flip angle (T(1)(VFA)) and multiple spin-echo (T(2)(MSE)) relaxation models.Main results.MR-BIAS had a lower mean CV withT(1)(VIR)(0.03%) andT(2)(MSE)(0.05%) in comparison to PV withT(1)(VIR)(1.28%) andT(2)(MSE)(4.55%). The mean analysis duration was 9.7 times faster for MR-BIAS (0.8 min) than PV (7.6 min). There was no statistically significant difference in the overall bias, or the %bias for the majority of ROIs, as calculated by MR-BIAS or the custom script for all models.Significance.MR-BIAS has demonstrated repeatable and efficient analysis of the ISMRM/NIST system phantom, with comparable accuracy to previous studies. The software is freely available to the MRI community, providing a framework to automate required analysis tasks, with the flexibility to explore open questions and accelerate biomarker research.
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Keywords: Humans; Reproducibility of Results; *Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods; *Software; Phantoms, Imaging; Biomarkers; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; MRI system phantom; magnetic resonance imaging; open-source software; quantitative biomarkers; technical validation
Department(s): Radiation Oncology
PubMed ID: 36796102
Publisher's Version: https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6560/acbcbb
Open Access at Publisher's Site: https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6560/acbcbb
Terms of Use/Rights Notice: Refer to copyright notice on published article.

Creation Date: 2023-06-27 07:59:00

Last Modified: 2023-06-27 07:59:22