Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Synthetic MR imaging creates multiple contrast-weighted images based on a single time-efficient quantitative scan, which has been mostly performed for 2D acquisition. We assessed the utility of 3D synthetic MR imaging in patients with MS by comparing its diagnostic image quality and lesion volumetry with conventional MR imaging.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients with MS prospectively underwent 3D quantitative synthetic MR imaging and conventional T1-weighted, T2-weighted, FLAIR, and double inversion recovery imaging, with acquisition times of 9 minutes 3 seconds and 18 minutes 27 seconds for the synthetic MR imaging and conventional MR imaging sequences, respectively. Synthetic phase-sensitive inversion recovery images and those corresponding to conventional MR imaging contrasts were created for synthetic MR imaging. Two neuroradiologists independently assessed the image quality on a 5-point Likert scale. The numbers of cortical lesions and lesion volumes were quantified using both synthetic and conventional image sets.
RESULTS: The overall diagnostic image quality of synthetic T1WI and double inversion recovery images was noninferior to that of conventional images (P = .23 and .20, respectively), whereas that of synthetic T2WI and FLAIR was inferior to that of conventional images (both Ps < .001). There were no significant differences in the number of cortical lesions (P = .17 and .53 for each rater) or segmented lesion volumes (P = .61) between the synthetic and conventional image sets.
CONCLUSIONS: Three-dimensional synthetic MR imaging could serve as an alternative to conventional MR imaging in evaluating MS with a reduced scan time.
ABBREVIATIONS:
- DIR
- double inversion recovery
- PSIR
- phase-sensitive inversion recovery
- QALAS
- quantification using an interleaved Look-Locker acquisition sequence with a T2 preparation pulse
Footnotes
This work was supported by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) under grant number JP19lk1010025h9902; JSPS KAKENHI grant numbers 19K17150, 19K17177, 18H02772, and 18K07692; a Grant-in-Aid for Special Research in Subsidies for ordinary expenses of private schools from The Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan; and Brain/MINDS beyond program from AMED grant numbers JP19dm0307024 and JP19dm0307101.
S. Fujita and K. Yokoyama are co-first authors with equal contributions.
Disclosures: Akifumi Hagiwara—RELATED: Grant: JSPS; UNRELATED: Travel/Accommodations/Meeting Expenses Unrelated to Activities Listed: GE Healthcare. Koji Kamagata—RELATED: Grant: Brain/MINDS program from AMED grant number JP19dm0307024 and JP19dm0307101, Comments: This work was supported by Brain/MINDS program from AMED Grant Number JP19dm0307024 and JP19dm0307101; UNRELATED: Grants/Grants Pending: JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP16K10327. Osamu Abe—UNRELATED: Grants/Grants Pending: We have a grant from Canon Medical Systems, GE Healthcare, and Siemens Healthcare K.K.*; Payment for Lectures, Including Service on Speakers Bureaus: Payment for lectures, Comments: I receive a lecture fee from Canon Medical Systems, GE Healthcare, Guerbet Japan, Philips Healthcare, and Siemens Healthcare K.K. Shigeki Aoki—UNRELATED: Board Membership: Canon, Comments: Canon MR advisory board; Grants/Grants Pending: Mediphysics, Daiichi-Sankyo, Eisai, Fuji-Toyamakagaku, Guerbet, Comments: Grant for diagnostic radiology from Mediphysics, Daiichi Sankyo, Eisai, FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical co., Guerbet*; Payment for Lectures, Including Service on Speakers Bureaus: Bayer, Canon, FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical Co., Eisai, Guerbet, GE, Mediphysics, Siemens, Daiichi-Sankyo, Comments: Payment for lectures and chair from Bayer, Canon, FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical Co., Fujifilm Medical, Eisai, Guerbet, GE, Mediphysics, Siemens, Daiichi-Sankyo*; Payment for Manuscript Preparation: Miwa Shoten, Gakken Medical Shujunsha, Comments: Payment for manuscript from Miwa Shoten, Gakken Medical Shujunsha.* Kazumasa Yokoyama—UNRELATED: Other: Ohara Pharmaceutical, AbbVie, Ono Pharmaceutical, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, MiZ, Asahi Kasei Medical, and Nihon Pharmaceutical, Comments: Donations for treatment and research in multiple sclerosis and neuro-intractable disease. *Money paid to institution.
- © 2021 by American Journal of Neuroradiology
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