title: Multishot echoplanar MR imaging of the female pelvis: comparison with fast spin-echo MR imaging in an initial clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to apply multishot echoplanar MR imaging (EPI) to the female pelvis and compare image quality with that of fast spin-echo MR imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one patients with suspected pelvic disease and five healthy female volunteers were prospectively examined. MR imaging was obtained using an EPI-capable 1.0-T imager and a pelvic phased-array coil. Axial EPI and fast Spin-echo sequences were obtained at identical image locations in each patient and volunteer. Spin-echo EPI images were obtained using a multishot number of 16. Acquisition time for each EPI sequence was 2 min 10 sec. Fat-suppressed T2-weighted fast spin-echo images were obtained in 2 min 12 sec. Paired EPI and fast spin-echo MR images were independently evaluated by three reviewers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Delineation of the perivaginal and parametrial venous plexus on EPI was rated superior to the fast spin-echo images in 62 (77%) of 81 cases. On EPI, uterine zone anatomy and ovary visualization were judged to be inferior in 44 (56%) of 78 cases and in 18 (33%) of 54 cases, respectively. For delineation of uterine abnormalities, including leiomyoma and adenomyosis, both sequences performed almost equally well. However, ovarian cystic lesions were revealed more precisely by the fast spin-echo sequence. An overall fat-suppression effect was seen on EPI images in 62 (77%) of 81 cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multishot EPI cannot replace fast spin-echo sequences for imaging the female pelvis; however, because EPI has a potent fat-suppression effect and heavily T2-weighted contrast, EPI sequences can be a valuable adjunct to routine examination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niitsu
authors.forename: Y O
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Anno
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Itai
mesh_terms: D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis