Free-breathing dynamic liver examination using a radial 3D T1-weighted gradient echo sequence with moderate undersampling for patients with limited breath-holding capacity

Publication

Free-breathing dynamic liver examination using a radial 3D T1-weighted gradient echo sequence with moderate undersampling for patients with limited breath-holding capacity

Journal Paper/Review - Nov 3, 2016

Kaltenbach Benjamin, Roman Andrei, Polkowski Christoph, Gruber-Rouh Tatjana, Bauer Ralf, Hammerstingl Renate, Vogl Thomas J, Zangos Stephan

Citation

Kaltenbach B, Roman A, Polkowski C, Gruber-Rouh T, Bauer R, Hammerstingl R, Vogl T, Zangos S. Free-breathing dynamic liver examination using a radial 3D T1-weighted gradient echo sequence with moderate undersampling for patients with limited breath-holding capacity. Eur J Radiol 2016; 86:26-32.

Type

Journal Paper/Review (English)

Journal

Eur J Radiol 2016; 86

Publication Date

Nov 3, 2016

Issn Electronic

1872-7727

Pages

26-32

Brief description/objective

PURPOSE
To compare free-breathing radial VIBE with moderate undersampling (us-radial-VIBE) with a standard breathhold T1-weighted volumetric interpolated sequence (3D GRE VIBE) in patients unable to suspend respiration during dynamic liver examination.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
23 consecutive patients underwent dynamic liver MR examination using the free-breathing us-radial-VIBE sequence as part of their oncologic follow-up. All patients were eligible for the free-breathing protocol due to severe respiratory artifacts at the planning or precontrast sequences. The us-radial-VIBE acquisitions were compared to the patientś last staging liver MRI including a standard breathhold 3D GRE VIBE. For an objective image evaluation, signal intensity (SI), image noise (IN), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-enhancement ratio (CER) were compared. Representative image quality parameters, including typical artifacts were independently, retrospectively and blindly scored by four readers.

RESULTS
Us-radial-VIBE had significant lower SNR (p<0.0001) and higher IN (p<0.0001), whereas SI did not differ (p=0.62). Temporal resolution assessed with CER in the arterial phase showed higher values for us-radial-VIBE (p=0.028). Subjective image quality parameters received generally slightly higher scores for 3D GRE VIBE. In a smaller subgroup comprising patients with severe respiratory artifacts also at reference breathhold 3D GRE VIBE examination, us-radial-VIBE showed significantly higher image quality scores. Furthermore, there were generally more severe respiratory artifacts in 3D GRE VIBE, whereas streaking was characteristic in almost all us-radial-VIBE acquisitions but did not affect diagnostic validity.

CONCLUSION
Free-breathing dynamic liver imaging using us-radial-VIBE delivers accurate temporal resolution, low motion artifact susceptibility and good image quality and represents a promising alternative in patients unable to suspend respiration.