Test object for use with diffusion MRI and system and method of synthesizing complex diffusive geometries using novel gradient directions

A method for obtaining a baseline model of human or animal tissue using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner and a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) sequence, comprising:

• scanning with the MRI scanner a test object having a plurality of anisotropic structures by applying at least one diffusion gradient along a first direction according to the DTI sequence;
• acquiring data from the scan;
• and
• calculating the apparent diffusion coefficient distribution by reconstructing the data based on an assumption that the at least one diffusion gradient was applied along a second direction that is different than the first direction to generate the tissue baseline model.

A method for use in diagnosing disease in human or animal tissue using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner and a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) sequence, comprising:

• scanning with the MRI scanner a test object having a plurality of anisotropic structures by applying at least one diffusion gradient along a first direction according to the DTI sequence;
• acquiring data from the scan of the test object;
• calculating the apparent diffusion coefficient distribution by reconstructing the data based on an assumption that the at least one diffusion gradient was applied along a second direction different than the first direction to generate a baseline model of the tissue;
• scanning with the MRI scanner the tissue by applying at least one diffusion gradient along the first direction according to the DTI sequence;
• acquiring data from the scan of the tissue;
• calculating the apparent diffusion coefficient distribution of the tissue by reconstructing the data based on an assumption that the at least one diffusion gradient was applied along the second direction;
• and
• comparing the calculation of the apparent diffusion coefficient distribution of the tissue baseline model with the calculation of the apparent diffusion coefficient distribution of the tissue.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a method for use in diagnosing disease in human or animal tissue using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner and a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) sequence, comprising:

• instructions for scanning with the MRI scanner a test object having a plurality of anisotropic structures by applying at least one diffusion gradient along a first direction according to the DTI sequence;
• instructions for acquiring data from the scan of the test object;
• instructions for calculating the apparent diffusion coefficient distribution by reconstructing the data based on an assumption that the at least one diffusion gradient was applied along a second direction different than the first direction to generate a baseline model of the tissue;
• instructions for scanning with the MRI scanner the tissue by applying at least one diffusion gradient along the first direction according to the DTI sequence;
• instructions for acquiring data from the scan of the tissue;
• instructions for calculating the apparent diffusion coefficient distribution of the tissue by reconstructing the data based on an assumption that the at least one diffusion gradient was applied along the second direction;
• and
• instructions for comparing the calculation of the apparent diffusion coefficient distribution of the tissue baseline model with the calculation of the apparent diffusion coefficient distribution of the tissue.

A medical test object for use with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner using a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) sequence to generate a baseline model of human or animal tissue, comprising:

• a housing;
• and
• a matrix of compartments arranged in a plurality of rows and columns and housed within the housing, wherein at least two adjacent compartments of the matrix each include a plurality of fluid-filled capillary arrays formed into a macro-array, and wherein the macro-array of a first one of the adjacent compartments includes capillaries having a first inner diameter and the macro-array of a second one of the adjacent compartments includes capillaries having a second inner diameter that is different from the first inner diameter,
• wherein the test device can be scanned by the MRI scanner using the DTI sequence to generate the tissue baseline model for use in diagnosing disease in the tissue.