MR cholangiopancreatography: comparison of images obtained with 1.0 and 1.5 Tesla units.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the image quality and visualization obtained in MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) using different high-field strength (1.0 vs. 1.5 Tesla) MR units and to assess the effect of field strength on MRCP.


METHODS
This study population included 10 healthy volunteers and 37 patients suspected of having pancreatobiliary diseases. MRCP images were obtained using two MR units with different high-field strengths (1.0 and 1.5 Tesla), with half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE) and rapid acquisition by relaxation enhancement (RARE) sequences. The image quality and visualization of each portion of the pancreatobiliary system were graded and recorded using a four-point scale. Additionally, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were measured.


RESULTS
The SNR and CNR in HASTE sequences acquired with the 1.5 Tesla (T) unit were significantly higher than those acquired with the 1.0 T unit (p=0.001). In qualitative analysis, there were no statistically significant differences in image quality or visualization of the ducts in either HASTE or RARE sequences between 1.0 T and 1.5 T.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study showed that visual image quality provided by MRCP was equivalent at 1.0 and 1.5 T.
Yasui
Masayasu
M
Department of Radiology, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Japan.
Ito
Katsuyoshi
K
Koike
Shinji
S
Matsunaga
Naofumi
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000473:pathology*; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002758:Cholangiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology*; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity