Assessing the Reproducibility of χ-separation: Comparative Analysis of Two Modeling Approaches with Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping

Motivation: Magnetic susceptibility in MRI offers non-invasive insights into brain substances like iron and myelin, affecting brain function and disease. The χ-separation method promises to enhance these insights by better estimating substance concentrations. Goal(s): To assess the test-retest reproducibility of χ-separation methods to ensure their reliability for wider use in both research and clinical settings. Approach: Reproducibility was tested by repeating scans using 3T MRI. Statistical analysis by Bland-Altman, regression, and ICC were used for evaluation. Results: χ-separation demonstrated high reproducibility for both positive and negative susceptibility map analyses compared to previous study regarding QSM Impact: This study affirms the robustness of χ-separation in MRI, enhancing the detection of iron and myelin concentrations and paving the way for more accurate brain pathology studies, potentially revolutionizing both clinical diagnostics and research into neurodegenerative diseases.