Echo planar MR imaging of the liver: comparison of images with and without motion probing gradients
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Updated: Aug 29, 2026
Novel In Vivo Micro-Computed Tomography Imaging Techniques for Assessing the Progression of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Published on: March 24, 2023
Takao Moteki1, Tomoyuki Sekine
1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Gunma University Hospital, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan. motekitakao@jcom.home.ne.jp
Purpose:
To determine whether MR images with motion-probing gradients (MPGs) usefully improve lesion detection in comparison with MR images without MPGs.
Materials And Methods:
Echo planar (EP) images without MPGs and with small and intermediate MPGs (gradient factor b = 2, 18, and 188 second/mm(2), respectively) were acquired for 61 hepatic lesions (21 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), 19 metastases, eight hemangiomas, and 13 cysts). The lesion-to-liver signal intensity ratios (SIRs) of these lesions were calculated using EP images with and without MPGs. Qualitative analysis for detection of HCCs and metastases were also performed between the images without MPGs and with small MPGs.
Results:
The SIRs of HCCs and metastases for the images with small MPGs were significantly higher than the values for the images without MPGs (P < 0.05), although no significant differences were found in the case of hemangiomas and cysts. In comparison to images without MPGs, images with small MPGs improved lesion detection of three metastases and six HCCs, and worsened lesion detection of two HCCs.
Conclusion:
Images with small MPGs may improve HCC and metastasis detection over images without MPGs.
Insights
Motion-probing gradients (MPGs) in MRI may enhance the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver metastases. Small MPGs improved lesion detection in some cases, suggesting their utility in specific diagnostic scenarios.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
- Hepatobiliary Imaging
Background:
- Accurate detection of hepatic lesions is crucial for patient management.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a key modality for liver lesion characterization.
- Motion-probing gradients (MPGs) are techniques used in MRI to mitigate motion artifacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of MPGs in improving the detection of hepatic lesions.
- To compare lesion detection using MRI with and without MPGs.
- To assess the impact of different MPG strengths on lesion detectability.
Main Methods:
- Echo planar (EP) MRI sequences were acquired with and without MPGs (b values: 2, 18, 188 s/mm²).
- Sixty-one hepatic lesions (21 hepatocellular carcinomas, 19 metastases, 8 hemangiomas, 13 cysts) were analyzed.
- Lesion-to-liver signal intensity ratios (SIRs) were calculated, and qualitative detection analysis was performed.
Main Results:
- Small MPGs significantly increased the SIRs for hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and metastases compared to images without MPGs (P < 0.05).
- No significant SIR differences were observed for hemangiomas and cysts.
- Small MPGs improved the detection of 3 metastases and 6 HCCs, while decreasing detection for 2 HCCs.
Conclusions:
- MRI with small MPGs shows potential for improving the detection of HCC and liver metastases.
- The utility of MPGs may be lesion-specific, with greater benefit for malignant lesions.
- Further investigation into optimal MPG parameters for hepatic lesion detection is warranted.
