Free-breathing 3D T1-weighted gradient-echo sequence with radial data sampling in abdominal MRI: preliminary...

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Background:

• Abdominal MRI often requires breath-holding, which can be challenging for some patients.
• Standard 3D GRE VIBE sequences are commonly used but necessitate patient cooperation with breath-holding instructions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of a free-breathing radial 3D GRE sequence for abdominal MRI.
• To compare its performance against the standard 3D GRE VIBE sequence in cooperative patients.
• To assess its preliminary utility in noncooperative patients, particularly children.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-five patients underwent unenhanced and contrast-enhanced abdominal MRI using the free-breathing radial 3D GRE technique.
• Two independent readers blindly evaluated image quality and lesion analysis.
• Comparison was made with the standard 3D GRE VIBE sequence.

Main Results:

• Overall image quality for contrast-enhanced radial 3D GRE was slightly lower than 3D GRE VIBE but rated nearly as good.
• 3D GRE VIBE showed better scores for pixel graininess, streaking artifact, and sharpness.
• Radial 3D GRE performance was consistent between cooperative and noncooperative patients, with better results in children.
• Lesion detectability, confidence, and conspicuity were significantly higher with 3D GRE VIBE.

Conclusions:

• A free-breathing radial 3D GRE sequence is feasible for abdominal MRI.
• This technique may be particularly beneficial for patients unable to suspend respiration, especially children.
• Further evaluation is warranted, considering the trade-offs in image quality and lesion conspicuity.