Assessment of intravoxel incoherent motion MRI with an artificial capillary network: analysis of biexponential and phase-distribution models.

The constructed phantom facilitated the detailed investigation of IVIM-MRI methods. The results demonstrate that the phase-distribution method is capable of accurately characterizing fluid flow inside a capillary network. Parameters estimated using the biexponential model, specifically the perfusion fraction f , showed a substantial bias because the model assumptions were not met by the underlying flow pattern.