Age and gender differences of normative values of spleen diffusion MRI parameters

Abstract

AbstractThis study investigates age and gender differences of normative values of spleen diffusion MRI parameters.We recruited 124 volunteers with MRI conducted at 1.5T. Diffusion imaging had b-values of 0, 2, 4, 7, 10, 15, 20, 30, 46, 60, 72, 100, 150, 200, 400, 600 s/mm2. ADC, IVIM-Dslow, IVIM-PF, IVIM-Dfast, and DDVD (diffusion-derived vessel density) were computed. DDVD is the signal difference between the b=0 s/mm2 image and b=2, 4 s/mm2 image. Only images without apparent artifacts and with good curving fitting were included in the analysis. Finally, 34 females (age: 20–71 years) and 69 males (22–70 years) were measured with ADC; 20 females (20–71 years) and 48 males (22–67 years) were measured with IVIM; 32 females (20–71 years) and 65 males (22–70 years) were measured with DDVD parameter.An age-related decrease in ADC was noted for females, while such a trend was not noted for males. A very high level of heterogeneity was noted for the data for the males, with the highest ADC value being 1.710 × 10–3mm 2/s and the lowest ADC value being 0.705 × 10–3 mm2/s when b=0 and 600 s/mm 2 were used for ADC calculation. A male-female data comparison did not show a statistically significant difference between the ADC median value. However, ADCs > 1.3 × 10–3 mm2/s were only seen among males. A very high level of heterogeneity was also noted for males’ Dslow, with the highest value being 1.468 × 10–3 mm2/s and the lowest value being 0.600 × 10–3 mm2/s. Both PF and Dfast demonstrated a trend of age-related increase for older subjects. PF values were higher among males than females. However, no difference was noted for Dfast between males and females. DDVD did not show an age-related trend both for females and males. No difference was noted in DDVD values between males and females.Interpreting normal spleen diffusion MRI parameters should consider age and gender factors.