Can Trace-Weighted Images Be Used to Estimate Diffusional Kurtosis Imaging–Derived Indices of Non-Gaussian Water Diffusion in Head and Neck Cancer?

摘要

We read with great interest the appealing article by Tu et al,1 aimed at assessing the role of histogram-based descriptors of the non-Gaussian diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) model2 in treatment-response prediction of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. They found that histogram-based analysis of DKI-derived indices of “kurtosis” and “diffusivity” may potentially predict the neoadjuvant chemotherapy and short-term radiation therapy response in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, therefore possibly modifying the treatment regimen. Considering that DKI is a quantitative diffusion MR imaging technique, we think it would be of practical interest to discuss in greater detail the approach used to estimate kurtosis and diffusivity in this study and in various DKI applications in general.