Liver T2-weighted MR imaging: comparison of fast and conventional half-Fourier single-shot turbo spin-echo, breath-hold turbo spin-echo, and respiratory-triggered turbo spin-echo sequences.
OBJECTIVE
T2-weighted spin-echo (SE) magnetic resonance imaging in the liver was compared with four sequences: fast and conventional half-Fourier single-shot turbo SE (HASTE) and breath-hold and respiratory-triggered turbo SE.


METHODS
In 58 patients with focal liver lesions, imaging was performed with a 1.5-T magnet and a phased-array coil. Images obtained with fast HASTE conventional HASTE, breath-hold turbo SE, and respiratory-triggered turbo SE were compared. Results of quantitative, qualitative, and receiver operating characteristic analyses were compared.


RESULTS
Lesion-to-liver contrast for solid tumors was significantly higher with the fast HASTE and respiratory-triggered turbo SE sequences than with the conventional HASTE and breath-hold turbo SE sequences (P < .01) and for cystic lesions was significantly higher with the conventional and fast HASTE sequences than with the breath-hold or respiratory-triggered turbo SE sequences (P < .01). Artifacts were negligible on all fast and conventional HASTE images. In receiver operating characteristic analyses, diagnostic performance was significantly higher with the fast HASTE and respiratory-triggered turbo SE sequences than with the conventional HASTE and breath-hold turbo SE sequences (P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
Images obtained with the fast HASTE sequence were free from motion artifacts, and observer diagnostic performance was similar to that with the respiratory-triggered turbo SE sequence.
Tang
Y
Y
Department of Radiology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Honjo Kumamoto, Japan.
Yamashita
Y
Y
Namimoto
T
T
Abe
Y
Y
Takahashi
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016477:Artifacts; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; 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; D009068:Movement; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012119:Respiration