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Updated: Feb 6, 2026

High-frequency Ultrasound Imaging of Mouse Cervical Lymph Nodes
Published on: July 25, 2015
Accelerated diffusion-weighted imaging for lymph node assessment in the pelvis applying simultaneous multislice
Alexander Ciritsis1, Cristina Rossi, Magda Marcon
1Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Accelerated simultaneous multislice diffusion weighted imaging (SMS-DWI) is feasible for abdominopelvic lymph node detection, significantly reducing scan times. An acceleration factor of 2 offers the best balance between image quality, signal-to-noise ratio, and detection rates.
Area of Science:
- Radiology and Imaging Science
- Medical Physics
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Abdominopelvic lymph node detection is crucial for staging various cancers.
- Conventional diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences can be time-consuming.
- Simultaneous multislice (SMS) techniques offer potential for accelerated MRI acquisition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of accelerated SMS-DWI for abdominopelvic lymph node detection.
- To compare SMS-DWI performance against conventional DWI regarding lymph node detection and image quality.
- To determine the optimal SMS acceleration factor (AF) balancing scan time, image quality, and detection rates.
Main Methods:
- Eight healthy volunteers underwent 3T pelvic MRI using conventional DWI and SMS-DWI with AF 2 and 3.
- A higher-resolution SMS-DWI with AF 3 was also evaluated.
- A 3D T2-weighted SPACE sequence served as the reference standard for lymph node morphology. Radiologists assessed lymph node counts and image quality; quantitative metrics (SNR, CNR, ADC) were calculated.
Main Results:
- SMS-DWI with AF2 and AF3 reduced scan time by 46.9% and 57.2%, respectively, compared to conventional DWI.
- Lymph node detection rates were 89.6% for conventional DWI, 69.4% for SMS-DWI AF2, and 59.9% for SMS-DWI AF3.
- Accelerated sequences showed lower SNR and CNR (up to 51.0%), with SMS-DWI AF2 demonstrating the best compromise among evaluated parameters.
Conclusions:
- Accelerated SMS-DWI is a feasible technique for abdominopelvic lymph node detection.
- An acceleration factor of 2 provides the optimal balance between reduced acquisition time, acceptable image quality, and lymph node detection rates.
- SMS-DWI holds promise for more efficient abdominopelvic imaging protocols.
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