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.
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.
Jung
G
G
Department of Radiology, University of Cologne, Germany.
Krahe
T
T
Kugel
H
H
Gieseke
J
J
Hahn
U
U
Walter
C
C
Lackner
K
K
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