Computed Diffusion Weighted Imaging of the Liver Using Extrapolation Technique in Patients Who Underwent Liver
Michael Yong Park, Joon-Il Choi, Hon Yu1
1Center for Functional Onco Imaging, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA.
Objective:
This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and image quality of computed diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) of the liver in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Methods:
Twenty-four patients who underwent liver transplantation with HCC were enrolled. Computed DWI was synthesized for b-values of 800 (cDWI800) and 1200 s/mm (cDWI1200) using directly acquired DWI with b-values of 0, 50, and 500 s/mm. Signal intensity of HCC, background liver, and contrast-to-noise ratio were evaluated for directly acquired DWI of 800 s/mm (dDWI800), cDWI800, and cDWI1200. Two radiologists evaluated the image quality for contrast between HCC and liver, suppression of background signal and T2 shine-through, and overall image quality.
Results:
cDWI1200 showed the lowest contrast-to-noise ratio. Qualitative scores for background suppression and decreased T2 shine-through were highest for cDWI1200. However, contrast between HCC and background liver was worst in cDWI1200.
Conclusions:
In computed DWI of high b-values, contrast between HCC and background liver was very low.
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