title: Dual-source parallel radiofrequency transmission for magnetic resonance breast imaging at 3T: any added clinical value?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the influence of dual-source parallel radiofrequency (RF) excitation on clinical breast MR images.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 3T MR system with both dual-source and conventional single-source RF excitations was used to examine 22 patients. Axial TSE-T2WI with fat suppression, TSE-T1WI without fat suppression, THRIVE (3D field echo) and DWI (SE-EPI) were obtained by using both excitation techniques. Image homogeneity, image contrast and lesion conspicuity were measured or independently scored by two radiologists and were compared by paired-sample t test or Wilcoxon test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both excitations revealed 24 lesions. For SE sequences using dual-source mode, image homogeneity was improved (P=0.00), scan time was reduced, and ghost artifacts on DWI were significantly reduced (P=0.00). However, image contrast was not increased and lesion conspicuity had no significant difference between two modes, except DWI on which lesion conspicuity was significantly improved (P=0.00), due to less ghost artifacts. For field-echo sequence, image homogeneity, acquisition time, image contrast and lesion conspicuity had no significant difference between the two modes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dual-source parallel RF transmission has some added value for improving breast image quality. However, its value is limited in terms of improving lesion detection and characterization.
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Beijing Hospital, the Fifth Affiliated College of Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, the Affiliated College of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yiming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Beijing Hospital, the Fifth Affiliated College of Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Beijing Hospital, the Fifth Affiliated College of Peking University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: chenmin62@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Philips Healthcare, Andover, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Yongming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Beijing Hospital, the Fifth Affiliated College of Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Philips Healthcare, Andover, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Xuna
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
keywords: 3T; Breast; Dual-source; Magnetic resonance imaging; Parallel imaging