Clinical applications of advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques for arthritis evaluation

Table 2 Main parameters derived from dynamic contrast enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging studies

Parameter	Biological meaning
Area under the curve	The integral in a plot of concentration of contrast agent in blood plasma against time
Maximum (relative) enhancement	The maximum signal difference between the signal intensity at its maximum and baseline
Time to peak	Time elapsed between the arterial peak and the end of the steepest portion of enhancement
Wash in rate	The maximum slope between the time of onset of contrast inflow and the time of peak enhancement on the time intensity curve
Wash out rate	The clearance rate of contrast agent
Ktrans	Volume transfer constant between blood plasma and EES
Kep	Rate constant between EES and blood plasma
Ve	Volume of EES per unit of volume of tissue

EES: Extravascular extracellular space.