High-resolution 3D-GRE imaging of the abdomen using controlled aliasing acceleration technique - a feasibility study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the feasibility of high-resolution 3D-gradient-recalled echo (GRE) fat-suppressed T1-weighted images using controlled aliasing acceleration technique (CAIPIRINHA-VIBE), and compare image quality and lesion detection to standard-resolution 3D-GRE images using conventional acceleration technique (GRAPPA-VIBE).


METHODS
Eighty-four patients (41 males, 43 females; age range: 14-90 years, 58.8 ± 15.6 years) underwent abdominal MRI at 1.5 T with CAIPIRINHA-VIBE [spatial resolution, 0.76 ± 0.04 mm] and GRAPPA-VIBE [spatial resolution, 1.17 ± 0.14 mm]. Two readers independently reviewed image quality, presence of artefacts, lesion conspicuity, and lesion detection. Kappa statistic was used to assess interobserver agreement. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for image qualitative pairwise comparisons. Logistic regression with post-hoc testing was used to evaluate statistical significance of lesions evaluation.


RESULTS
Interobserver agreement ranged between 0.45-0.93. Pre-contrast CAIPIRINHA-VIBE showed significantly (p < 0.001) sharper images and lesion conspicuity with decreased residual aliasing, but more noise enhancement and inferior image quality. Post-contrast CAIPIRINHA-VIBE showed significantly (p < 0.001) sharper images and higher lesion conspicuity, with less respiratory motion and residual aliasing artefacts. Inferior fat-suppression was noticeable on CAIPIRINHA-VIBE sequences (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
High in-plane resolution abdominal 3D-GRE fat-suppressed T1-weighted imaging using controlled-aliasing acceleration technique is feasible and yields sharper images compared to standard-resolution images using standard acceleration, with higher post-contrast image quality and trend for improved hepatic lesions detection.


CONCLUSIONS
• High-resolution imaging of the upper abdomen is clinically feasible using 2D-controlled aliasing acceleration technique. • High-resolution imaging yields significantly sharper images and increased hepatic lesions conspicuity. • High-resolution imaging yields significantly less respiratory motion and residual aliasing artefacts. • Controlled-aliasing offers substantial acquisition-time reduction in patients with breath-holding difficulties.
Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 7510-2001 Old Clinic Bldg., Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7510, USA. mamdoh.alobaidy@yahoo.com.
Mamdoh
M
AlObaidy
Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 7510-2001 Old Clinic Bldg., Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7510, USA. miguel-ramalho@netcabo.pt.
Miguel
M
Ramalho
Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 7510-2001 Old Clinic Bldg., Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7510, USA. kiranreddy.busireddy@gmail.com.
Kiran K R
KK
Busireddy
Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 7510-2001 Old Clinic Bldg., Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7510, USA. liubaodong.cn@gmail.com.
Baodong
B
Liu
Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 7510-2001 Old Clinic Bldg., Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7510, USA. lauren_burke@med.unc.edu.
Lauren M
LM
Burke
Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 7510-2001 Old Clinic Bldg., Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7510, USA. ersan_altun@med.unc.edu.
Ersan
E
Altun
MR Research and Development, Siemens Medical Solutions, Morrisville, NC, USA. brian.dale@siemens.com.
Brian M
BM
Dale
Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 7510-2001 Old Clinic Bldg., Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7510, USA. richsem@med.unc.edu.
Richard C
RC
Semelka
D000005:Abdomen / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016477:Artifacts; D062485:Breath Holding; D003287:Contrast Media; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009038:Motion; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult
D003287:Contrast Media
3D-GRE; Acceleration technique; CAIPIRINHA; High-resolution; Imaging; VIBE