Readout-segmented echo-planar imaging improves the image quality of diffusion-weighted MR imaging in rectal cancer: Comparison with single-shot echo-planar diffusion-weighted sequences

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• 作者：Chun-chao Xia ; MS^a ; ¹ ; Xi Liu ; MS^a ; ¹ ; Wan-lin Peng ; MS^a ; Lei Li ; MS^a ; Jin-ge Zhang ; MS^a ; Wen-jian Meng ; MD^b ; Xiang-bing Deng ; MD^b ; Pan-li Zuo ; MD^c ; Zhen-lin Li ; MS^a ; ^{lzlcd01@126.com" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author}
• 刊名：European Journal of Radiology
• 出版年：2016
• 出版时间：October 2016
• 年：2016
• 卷：85
• 期：10
• 页码：1818-1823
• 全文大小：879 K

文摘

To determine whether readout-segmented echo-planar imaging (rs-EPI) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can improve the image quality in patients with rectal cancer compared with single-shot echo-planar imaging (ss-EPI) DWI using 3.0 T magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

Materials and methods

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board, and informed consent was obtained from all patients. Seventy-one patients with rectal cancer were enrolled in this study. For all patients, both rs-EPI and ss-EPI DWI were performed using a 3T MR scanner. Two radiologists independently assessed the overall image quality, lesion conspicuity, geometric distortion and distinction of anatomical structures. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), lesion contrast, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were also measured. Comparisons of the quantitative and qualitative parameters between the two sequences were performed using the paired t-test and the Wilcoxon signed rank test.

Results

The scores of overall image quality, lesion conspicuity, geometric distortion and distinction of anatomical structures of rs-EPI were all significantly higher than those of ss-EPI (all p < 0.05). The SNR and CNR were higher in rs-EPI than those in ss-EPI (all p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between ss-EPI and rs-EPI with regard to ROI size and mean ADCs of the tumour (p = 0.574 and p = 0.479, respectively), but the mean ADC of the normal tissue was higher in rs-EPI than in ss-EPI (1.73 ± 0.30 × 10⁻³ mm²/s vs. 1.60 ± 0.31 × 10⁻³ mm²/s, p = 0.001).

Conclusions

DW imaging based on readout-segmented echo-planar imaging is a clinically useful technique to improve the image quality for the purpose of evaluating lesions in patients with rectal tumours.