title: Prospective comparison of fast SE and GRASE sequences and echo planar imaging with conventional SE sequences in the detection of focal liver lesions at 1.0 T.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our goal was to investigate the value of T2-weighted fast SE (FSE) sequences, FSE sequences with shortened echo spacing (UFSE), combined gradient and spin echo sequences (GRASE), and segmented T1-weighted echo planar imaging (EPI) in comparison with conventional SE sequences in the detection of focal liver lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five patients with malignant focal liver lesions underwent MRI at 1.0 T.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All fast T2-weighted imaging techniques (FSE, UFSE, GRASE) showed fewer artifacts and overall better image quality than the conventional SE sequence. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that UFSE imaging had the highest tumor/liver contrast/noise ratio (C/N) (13.9 +/- 5.5) followed by FSE (12.7 +/- 4.5), T2 SE (10.9 +/- 4.2), and GRASE (10.0 +/- 4.8) sequences. The differences in C/N between the UFSE and T2 SE sequences was statistically significant (p < 0.05). C/N was significantly higher (p < 0.01) for the T1 SE (-7.4 +/- 3.8) than for the EPI sequence (-0.5 +/- 5.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FSE sequences with shortened echo spacing are valuable for liver imaging at 1.0 T. In comparison with the T2 SE sequence, they yielded better image quality and comparable tumor/liver C/N.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krahe
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kugel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gieseke
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lackner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged