T2-weighted spin-echo MR imaging of the liver: breath-hold fast spin-echo versus non-breath-hold fast spin-echo images with and without fat suppression.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of our study was to compare a T2-weighted breath-hold fast spin-echo (BHSE) technique with T2-weighted non-breath-hold fast spin-echo techniques for imaging the liver.


METHODS
Thirty-three patients with hepatic lesions had T2-weighted BHSE images obtained in 22 sec and conventional T2-weighted non-breath-hold fast spin-echo images obtained in 3 min 12 sec with and without fat suppression. Images were analyzed quantitatively by measuring the lesion-liver contrast, spleen-liver contrast, and signal-to-noise ratios of lesions and qualitatively by evaluating the sharpness of hepatic contours, visibility of intrahepatic vessels and other segmental landmarks, and presence of artifacts.


RESULTS
Quantitatively, lesion-liver contrast, spleen-liver contrast, and signal-to-noise ratios obtained with the BHSE technique were inferior to those obtained with fast spin-echo techniques with and without fat suppression (11.2 +/- 7.1 versus 15.4 +/- 10.6 and 14.5 +/- 9.8, p < .001; 5.3 +/- 3.7 versus 8.7 +/- 3.5 and 7.0 +/- 3.8, p < .001; 16.2 +/- 8.2 versus 20.1 +/- 10.9 and 19.7 +/- 9.5, p < .01, respectively; Student's t test). Qualitatively, image artifacts and intrahepatic vessel depiction on BHSE images were similar to those obtained with the fast spin-echo techniques. The BHSE technique was superior to fat-suppressed fast spin-echo technique for showing hepatic contours (p < .01; Wilcoxon signed-rank test).


CONCLUSIONS
The BHSE technique is quantitatively inferior to non-breath-hold fast spin-echo techniques. However, further studies with a surgical standard of reference are needed to compare the three techniques in terms of sensitivity.
Soyer
P
P
Department of Radiology, Hopital Foch, France.
Le Normand
S
S
de Givry
S C
SC
Gueye
C
C
Somveille
E
E
Scherrer
A
A
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged