Quantitative and qualitative comparison of 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla MRI in patients with chronic liver diseases.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the quantitative and qualitative image quality intra-individually, at 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla (T) in patients with chronic liver diseases.


METHODS
The study group included 24 consecutive patients (17 males, 7 females; mean age +/- standard deviation 56.5 +/- 11.5) who had chronic liver diseases and underwent abdominal MRI for the liver evaluation at both 1.5 and 3.0 T within a 4-month period. All MRI studies were retrospectively evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitative analysis was performed by measuring signal to noise ratio (SNR) on various abdominal organs. Qualitative analysis was performed by two reviewers to assess image quality, artifacts, and imaging findings of chronic liver diseases. Quantitative and qualitative analyses findings were compared between 1.5 and 3.0 T using the paired Student t-test and Wilcoxon signed rank test, respectively.


RESULTS
The statistically significant increase in SNRs in various abdominal tissues ranged from 1.3- to 3.5-fold at 3.0 T compared to 1.5 T. Three-dimensional gradient echo (3D-GE) sequences demonstrated significantly higher image quality at 3.0 T (P < 0.01), whereas precontrast spoiled gradient echo (SGE) sequences demonstrated significantly higher image quality at 1.5 T (P < 0.01). T2-weighted sequences did not show any significant difference in image quality between 1.5 and 3.0 T (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The SNRs of various abdominal tissues demonstrated significant increases at 3.0 T. The image quality of 3D-GE sequences was higher at 3.0 T, whereas the image quality of precontrast SGE sequences was higher at 1.5T.
Ramalho
Miguel
M
Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Herédia
Vasco
V
Tsurusaki
Masakatsu
M
Altun
Ersan
E
Semelka
Richard C
RC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016477:Artifacts; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C064572:gadobenic acid; D008536:Meglumine; C064925:gadodiamide; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA