Cross-site comparison of IVIM parameters from the feet of patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFU).

Motivation: Prior work suggests abnormal perfusion to be a risk factor for poor wound healing in patients with diabetic foot ulcers. IVIM imaging provides quantitative measures of muscular perfusion, but these parameters lack cross-platform validation. Goal(s): To compare IVIM in the foot of DFU patients across two different sites and scanner models. Approach: Multi b-value DWI of the foot was acquired at rest and fit using the biexponential and fractional Fickian IVIM models in patients with DFUs (n=12). Results: Preliminary IVIM results show mixed differences between sites. Ongoing comparisons will be obtained from diabetic patients without ulcers and healthy controls. Impact: IVIM imaging provides markers of microvascular properties associated with poor wound healing. We report initial comparisons of IVIM parameters in diabetic foot ulcer patients obtained using two different scanner configurations and DWI sequences.