T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of the liver: comparison of fat-suppressed GRASE with conventional spin echo, fat-suppressed turbo spin echo, and gradient echo at 1.0 T.
BACKGROUND
Fat-suppressed T2-weighted gradient and spin echo (GRASE) magnetic resonance imaging in the liver was compared with three other sequences: conventional spin echo (SE), fat-suppressed and respiratory-triggered turbo SE (TSE), and fast field echo (FFE).


METHODS
All sequences were applied in 48 prospective patients. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed. Biopsy or clinical follow-up established the final diagnosis of the lesions.


RESULTS
GRASE showed the second best contrast-to-noise ratio, the second best artifact level, the same lesion detectability as TSE, and very short acquisition time. GRASE and TSE had the highest sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy.


CONCLUSIONS
Fat-suppressed GRASE offers a fast and accurate method for imaging the liver.
Karantanas
A H
AH
CT-MRI Department, Larissa General Hospital, 1 Tsakalof Str, Larissa 412 21, Greece.
Papanikolaou
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; 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; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity