title: Contrast behavior and image quality of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography imaging using variable echo times at 3.0 T.
abstract: Twenty-five volunteers were examined at three different echo times (TE) using magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) images obtained with half-Fourier-acquired single-shot turbo spin echo (HASTE) thick-slab and multislice HASTE to identify the optimal TE at 3.0 T. No significant difference in the overall image quality was found comparing three different TEs within commonly used ranges. We observed an almost identical duct visibility with different TEs, while we found a trend toward superior visibility of the cystic duct at shorter TE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan. sayuki@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiroyoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Isoda
authors.forename: Yoji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maetani
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arizono
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Yuusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirokawa
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamoto
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Togashi