Abstract：
This study investigated the impact of ComBat harmonization on the reproducibility of radiomic features extracted from magnetic resonance images (MRI) acquired on different scanners, using various data acquisition parameters and multiple image pre-processing techniques using a dedicated MRI phantom. Four scanners were used to acquire an MRI of a nonanatomic phantom as part of the TCIA RIDER database. In fast spin-echo inversion recovery (IR) sequences, several inversion durations were employed, including 50, 100, 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, and 3000 ms. In addition, a 3D fast spoiled gradient recalled echo (FSPGR) sequence was used to investigate several flip angles (FA): 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 degrees. Nineteen phantom compartments were manually segmented. Different approaches were used to pre-process each image: Bin discretization, Wavelet filter, Laplacian of Gaussian, logarithm, square, square root, and gradient. Overall, 92 first-, second-, and higher-order statistical radiomic features were extracted. ComBat harmonization was also applied to the extracted radiomic features. Finally, the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Kruskal-Wallis\'s (KW) tests were implemented to assess the robustness of radiomic features. The number of non-significant features in the KW test ranged between 0-5 and 29-74 for various scanners, 31-91 and 37-92 for three times tests, 0-33 to 34-90 for FAs, and 3-68 to 65-89 for IRs before and after ComBat harmonization, with different image pre-processing techniques, respectively. The number of features with ICC over 90% ranged between 0-8 and 6-60 for various scanners, 11-75 and 17-80 for three times tests, 3-83 to 9-84 for FAs, and 3-49 to 3-63 for IRs before and after ComBat harmonization, with different image pre-processing techniques, respectively. The use of various scanners, IRs, and FAs has a great impact on radiomic features. However, the majority of scanner-robust features is also robust to IR and FA. Among the effective parameters in MR images, several tests in one scanner have a negligible impact on radiomic features. Different scanners and acquisition parameters using various image pre-processing might affect radiomic features to a large extent. ComBat harmonization might significantly impact the reproducibility of MRI radiomic features.
摘要：
这项研究调查了ComBat协调对从不同扫描仪上获取的磁共振图像（MRI）中提取的放射学特征的可重复性的影响，使用各种数据采集参数和使用专用MRI体模的多个图像预处理技术。作为TCIARIDER数据库的一部分，使用了四个扫描仪来获取非解剖体模的MRI。在快速自旋回波反转恢复(IR)序列中，采用了几个反转持续时间，包括50、100、250、500、750、1000、1500、2000、2500和3000ms。此外,3D快速破坏梯度召回回波(FSPGR)序列用于研究几个翻转角(FA):2,5,10,15,20,25和30度。手动分割了19个体模隔室。使用不同的方法对每个图像进行预处理：Bin离散化，小波滤波器,高斯拉普拉斯算子,对数,正方形,平方根,和梯度。总的来说,92第一次-，第二-，并提取高阶统计影像组学特征。ComBat协调也应用于提取的放射学特征。最后,实施了组内相关系数(ICC)和Kruskal-Wallis's(KW)测试以评估放射学特征的稳健性。对于各种扫描仪，KW测试中的非重要特征数量介于0-5和29-74之间，31-91和37-92三次测试，FAs的0-33到34-90，ComBat协调前后的IRs为3-68至65-89，使用不同的图像预处理技术，分别。对于各种扫描仪，具有ICC的功能数量超过90％，范围在0-8和6-60之间，11-75和17-80进行三次测试，FAs的3-83到9-84，ComBat协调前后的IRs为3-49至3-63，使用不同的图像预处理技术，分别。各种扫描仪的使用，IRs,和FAs对放射学特征有很大影响。然而,大多数扫描仪鲁棒特征对IR和FA也是鲁棒的。在MR图像中的有效参数中，一个扫描仪中的几个测试对放射学特征的影响可以忽略不计。使用各种图像预处理的不同扫描仪和采集参数可能在很大程度上影响放射学特征。ComBat协调可能会显着影响MRI影像特征的可重复性。
