Pharmacokinetic modeling of dynamic MR images using a simulated annealing based optimization

The aim of this work was to use dynamic contrast enhanced MR image (DEMRI) data to generate `parameter images' which provide functional information about contrast agent access, in bone sarcoma. A simulated annealing based technique was applied to optimize the parameters of a pharmacokinetic model used to describe the kinetics of the tissue response during and after intravenous infusion of a paramagnetic contrast medium, Gd-DTPA. Optimization was performed on a pixel by pixel basis so as to minimize the sum of square deviations of the calculated values from the values obtained experimentally during dynamic contrast enhanced MR imaging. A cost function based on a priori information was introduced during the annealing procedure to ensure that the values obtained were within the expected ranges. The optimized parameters were used in the model to generate parameter images, which reveal functional information that is normally not visible in conventional Gd-DTPA enhanced MR images. This functional information, during and upon completion of pre-operative chemotherapy, is useful in predicting the probability of disease free survival.