Soy lecithin: A beneficial substance for adjusting the ADC in aqueous solutions to the values of biological tissues

Abstract

Purpose: To test soy lecithin as a substance added to water for the construction of MRI phantoms with tissue-like diffusion coefficients. The performance of soy lecithin was assessed for the useable range of adjustable ADC values, the degree of non-Gaussian diffusion, simultaneous effects on relaxation times, and spectral signal properties. Methods: Aqueous soy lecithin solutions of different concentrations (0%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3% …, 10%) and soy lecithin–agar gels were prepared and examined on a 3 Tesla clinical scanner at 18.5° ± 0.5°C. Echoplanar sequences (b values: 0–1000/3000 s/mm2) were applied for ADC measurements. Quantitative relaxometry and MRS were performed for assessment of T1, T2, and detectable spectral components. Results: The presence of soy lecithin significantly restricts the diffusion of water molecules and mimics the nearly Gaussian nature of diffusion observed in tissue (for b values <1000 s/mm2). ADC values ranged from 2.02 × 10−3 mm2/s to 0.48 × 10−3 mm2/s and cover the entire physiological range reported on biological tissue. Measured T1/T2 values of pure lecithin solutions varied from 2685/2013 to 668/133 ms with increasing concentration. No characteristic signals of soy lecithin were observed in the MR spectrum. The addition of agar to the soy lecithin solutions allowed T2 values to be well adjusted to typical values found in parenchymal tissue without affecting the soy lecithin–controlled ADC value. Conclusion: Soy lecithin is a promising substance for the construction of diffusion phantoms with tissue-like ADC values. It provides several advantages over previously proposed substances, in particular a wide range of adjustable ADC values, the lack of additional 1H-signals, and the possibility to adjust ADC and T2 values (by adding agar) almost independently of each other.