ABSTRACT
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a range of contrast mechanism which can be used to characterize tissue physiology. In this chapter, we provide brief introductions and illustrative examples for a number of these techniques including: MR relaxometry, diffusion MRI (DW-MRI), magnetization transfer MRI (MT), chemical exchange saturation MRI (CEST), dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI), dynamics susceptibility contrast MRI (DSC-MRI), hypoxia imaging with MRI, and elastography imaging with MRI. These techniques include methods which employ both endogenous (relaxometry, DW-MRI, MT, CEST) and exogenous (DCE-MRI, DSC-MRI, hypoxia, and elastography) contrast mechanisms. For each method, we present both qualitative and quantitative descriptions of the technique, and summary data on the repeatability and reproducibility of the technique before presenting illustrative clinical applications of the technique. All of the methods describes can offer complementary insights into tumor pathology and are therefore appropriate for incorporating in radiomic and radiogenomic analysis.
