T1-weighted 3D dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of the breast using a dual-echo Dixon technique at 3 T

To evaluate a single-pass fast spoiled gradient echo (FSPGR) two-point Dixon sequence and a gradient echo sequence with spectral fat suppression in their performance at 3 T for fat suppressed contrast-enhanced bilateral breast imaging.

Twenty patients were prospectively enrolled in an imaging protocol that included axial Dixon and 3D FSPGR with spectrally selective fat saturation sequences as part of patient care in this study. Qualitative analysis was performed retrospectively by two readers who scored the images for homogeneity and degree of fat saturation, severity of artifacts, and quality of normal anatomical structures. Enhancing lesions were scored according to the confidence with which American College of Radiology (ACR) BI-RADS magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features were identified.

The Dixon sequence showed superior fat saturation homogeneity, quality of posterior anatomical structures, and decreased artifact severity that were statistically significant (P < 0.0001). The degree of fat saturation was scored higher in the Dixon sequence, although the difference did not reach statistical significance. There were no significant differences between the 3D T1-weighted FSPGR and Dixon groups for assessing lesion features.

Our findings suggest that the Dixon technique is an effective fat suppression method for contrast-enhanced breast MRI. The Dixon technique also seemed to provide better anatomical definition of posterior structures and improvement in severity of artifacts.