title: Clinical feasibility of simultaneous multi-slice imaging with blipped-CAIPI for diffusion-weighted imaging and diffusion-tensor imaging of the brain.
abstract: Background Simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) imaging is starting to be used in clinical situation, although evidence of clinical feasibility is scanty. Purpose To prospectively assess the clinical feasibility of SMS diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) with blipped-controlled aliasing in parallel imaging for brain lesions. Material and Methods The institutional review board approved this study. This study included 156 hyperintense lesions on DWI from 32 patients. A slice acceleration factor of 2 was applied for SMS scans, which allowed shortening of the scan time by 41.3%. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was calculated for brain tissue of a selected slice. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and fractional anisotropy (FA) were calculated in 36 hyperintense lesions with a diameter of three pixels or more. Visual assessment was performed for all 156 lesions. Tractography of the corticospinal tract of 29 patients was evaluated. The number of tracts and averaged tract length were used for quantitative analysis, and visual assessment was evaluated by grading. Results The SMS scan showed no bias and acceptable 95% limits of agreement compared to conventional scans in SNR, CNR, and ADC on Bland-Altman analyses. Only FA of the lesions was higher in the SMS scan by 9% ( P = 0.016), whereas FA of the surrounding tissues was similar. Quantitative analysis of tractography showed similar values. Visual assessment of DWI hyperintense lesions and tractography also resulted in comparable evaluation. Conclusion SMS imaging was clinically feasible for imaging quality and quantitative values compared with conventional DWI and DTI.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokota
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tazoe
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.affiliation: 2 Siemens Healthcare K.K., Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teramukai
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: CAIPIRINHA diffusion-weighted imaging; Simultaneous multi-slice imaging; blipped-CAIPI; diffusion-tensor imaging