Implementation of diffusion weighted imaging in MRI pancreas

Pancreas carcinoma has a bad 5-years survival, because late diagnosis. At the
time of diagnosis, just 10% of all the patients can be operated for a curative
threatment: a pancreas resection.
For that reason, it is very important that there will come a new method to
diagnosis pancreas carcinoma.

Reason to develop an diffusion sequention for the pancreas protocol, is that a
tumor is not distinguish from normal pancreas tissue or an infection, with CT
or MRI.

The objectuve of the study is to investigate the optimal geometry parameters
and B-values by a acceptabel signal to nois ratio, for a diffusion sequention
for MRI of the pancreas. It wil be investigate by a literature study and a
practice study. The new protocol will be implementated in the current pancreas
protocol for a 3T MRI at the medical centre UMC St Radboud. This investigation
will be started in septembre 2012 and will be finished at january 2013

The new diffusion sequention will be take up in the current pancreas MRI
protocol. The new diffusion protocol may be add 5 minutes at maximum to the
total discoverytime. The new diffusion sequention will be investigate for a 3T
MRI. The diffusion protocol of the Liver will be taken as basic principle.
The first step is to discover geometry parameters and B-values in the
literature study. After that, there will be a practice study. Both studys
contribute to discover optimal geometry parameters and B-values by an
acceptable signal to nois ratio.
The diffusionsequentie will be tested on healthy people.

Literature study:
- How looks a normal, healty pancreas on MRI?
- Which geometry parameters are important in a diffusion sequention of the
pancreas?
- Which contrast parameters are important in a diffusion sequention of the
pancreas?
- Which influence have some geometry parameters on the signal to noise
ratio?
- Which B-values have to be chosen by a diffusion sequention of the
pancreas?
- Which influence have the different B-values on the signal to nois ratio?

Practice study:
- Which geometry parameters, about which the literature has no clarity, do
we have to chose for an acceptable signal to noise ratio for an optimal
diffusion MRI image of the pancreas?
- Which contrast parameters, about which the literature has no clarity, do
we have to chose for an acceptable signal to noise ratio for an optimal
diffusion MRI image of the pancreas?
- Which ADC map gives the images by scanning the healthy people with
certain B-values?
- Which B-values have to be chosen for an acceptable signal to noise ratio
for an optimal diffusion MRI image of the pancreas?

The subjects have to come 1 time to medical centre UMC St Radboud for a MRI
scan with a duration of 5 minutes. When it will be needed, the scan will be
repeat for some times with a maximum time of 30-45 minutes even if the SAR
value will be safe.

When the MRI scan will be used on a safety way, the risk for the subject is
very low.
The investigators will be take care that there will be worked safe all the
times.