Reduced Imaging Time and Improved Image Quality of 3D Isotropic T2-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging with Compressed Sensing for the Female Pelvis

Abstract

This study is to compare three-dimensional (3D) isotropic T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with compressed sensing-sampling perfection with application optimized contrast (CS-SPACE) and the conventional image (3D-SPACE) sequence in terms of image quality, estimated signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), relative contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and the lesions’ conspicuous of the female pelvis. Thirty-six females (age: 51, 28–73) with cervical carcinoma (n=20), rectal carcinoma (n=7), or uterine fibroid (n=9) were included. Patients underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at a 3T scanner with the sequences of 3D-SPACE, CS-SPACE, and two-dimensional (2D) T2-weighted turbo-spin echo (TSE). Quantitative analyses of estimated SNR and relative CNR between tumors and other tissues, image quality, and tissue conspicuity were performed. Two radiologists assessed the difference in diagnostic findings for carcinoma. Quantitative values and qualitative scores were analyzed, respectively. The estimated SNR and the relative CNR of tumor-to-muscle obturator internus, tumor-to-myometrium, and myometrium-to-muscle obturator internus was comparable between 3D-SPACE and CS-SPACE. The overall image quality and the conspicuity of the lesion scores of the CS-SPACE were higher than that of the 3D-SPACE (P < 0.01). The CS-SPACE sequence offers shorter scan time, fewer artifacts, and comparable SNR and CNR to conventional 3D-SPACE, and has the potential to improve the performance of T2-weighted images.

Keywords

compressed sensing / sampling perfection with application-oriented contrasts (SPACE) using variable flip angle evolutions / three-dimensional (3D) imaging / magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) / pelvis