Whole-body diffusion-weighted imaging: technical improvement and preliminary results.
OBJECTIVE
To optimize the free-breathing whole-body diffusion-weighted imaging (WB-DWI) protocol by using the short TI inversion-recovery diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging (STIR-DWEPI) sequence and the built-in body coil. Additionally, to evaluate the feasibility of tumor screening using high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) maximum intensity projection (MIP) images.


METHODS
The prescan procedure of STIR-DWEPI was modified using the data from 30 volunteers. During each exam, an optimized center frequency (CF) was used to minimize the slice offsets in consecutive scan stations. Prescan time was reduced from 50 seconds to 20 seconds with improved station profile. Total scan time was 30 minutes for five stations and 1.2 m coverage. A total of 30 patients with histologically-proven malignant disease were scanned under the final protocol using a built-in body coil. The image quality and the degree of background body signal suppression were assessed.


RESULTS
Free-breathing WB-DWI was 100% successfully performed in all patients, without slice misregistration, fat contamination, significant distortion, or nonuniformity. The reconstructed 3D-MIP images were adequate to depict malignant lesions in all 30 patients. The results of WB-DWI were found to be comparable to those of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET).


CONCLUSIONS
Stable and high-resolution WB-DWI is feasible using the technical improvements described in this study. WB-DWI might have important clinical value for the detection of primary and metastatic malignancies within the whole body. The potential for diagnosis and therapeutic assessment of tumors should be further assessed in a larger patient cohort.
Li
Shuo
S
Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Sun
Fei
F
Jin
Zheng-Yu
ZY
Xue
Hua-Dan
HD
Li
Ming-Li
ML
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004058:Diffusion; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D051598:Whole Body Imaging / Q000379:methods*