PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to compare signal characteristics and image qualities of MR imaging at 3.0T and 1.5T in patients with diffuse parenchymal liver disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 25 consecutive patients with diffuse parenchymal liver disease underwent abdominal MR imaging at both 3.0T and 1.5T within a 6-month interval. A retrospective study was conducted to obtain quantitative and qualitative data from both 3.0T and 1.5T MRI. Quantitative image analysis was performed by measuring the signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and the contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) by the Students t-test. Qualitative image analysis was assessed by grading each sequence on a 3- and 4-point scale, regarding the presence of artifacts and image quality, respectively. Statistical analysis consisted of the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: the mean SNRs and CNRs of the liver parenchyma and the portal vein were significantly higher at 3.0T than at 1.5T on portal and equilibrium phases of volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) images (P<0.05). The mean SNRs were significantly higher at 3.0T than at 1.5T on T1-weighted spoiled gradient echo (SGE) images (P<0.05). However, there were no significantly differences on T2-weighted short-inversion-time inversion recovery (STIR) images. Overall image qualities of the 1.5T non-contrast T1- and T2-weighted sequences were significantly better than 3.0T (P<0.01). In contrast, overall image quality of the 3.0T post-gadolinium VIBE sequence was significantly better than 1.5T (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: MR imaging of post-gadolinium VIBE sequence at 3.0T has quantitative and qualitative advantages of evaluating for diffuse parenchymal liver disease.
PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to compare signal characteristics and image qualities of MR imaging at 3.0T and 1.5T in patients with diffuse parenchymal liver disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 25 consecutive patients with diffuse parenchymal liver disease underwent abdominal MR imaging at both 3.0T and 1.5T within a 6-month interval. A retrospective study was conducted to obtain quantitative and qualitative data from both 3.0T and 1.5T MRI. Quantitative image analysis was performed by measuring the signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and the contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) by the Students t-test. Qualitative image analysis was assessed by grading each sequence on a 3- and 4-point scale, regarding the presence of artifacts and image quality, respectively. Statistical analysis consisted of the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: the mean SNRs and CNRs of the liver parenchyma and the portal vein were significantly higher at 3.0T than at 1.5T on portal and equilibrium phases of volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) images (P<0.05). The mean SNRs were significantly higher at 3.0T than at 1.5T on T1-weighted spoiled gradient echo (SGE) images (P<0.05). However, there were no significantly differences on T2-weighted short-inversion-time inversion recovery (STIR) images. Overall image qualities of the 1.5T non-contrast T1- and T2-weighted sequences were significantly better than 3.0T (P<0.01). In contrast, overall image quality of the 3.0T post-gadolinium VIBE sequence was significantly better than 1.5T (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: MR imaging of post-gadolinium VIBE sequence at 3.0T has quantitative and qualitative advantages of evaluating for diffuse parenchymal liver disease.
Authors: Anja Laader; Karsten Beiderwellen; Oliver Kraff; Stefan Maderwald; Karsten Wrede; Mark E Ladd; Thomas C Lauenstein; Michael Forsting; Harald H Quick; Kai Nassenstein; Lale Umutlu Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-11-10 Impact factor: 3.240