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Image-Quality Assessment of 3D Intracranial Vessel Wall MRI Using DANTE or DANTE-CAIPI for Blood Suppression and
B Sannananja1, C Zhu2, C G Colip3
1From the Department of Radiology (B.S., A.S.), Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
Background And Purpose:
3D intracranial vessel wall MRI techniques are time consuming and prone to artifacts, especially flow artifacts. Our aim was to compare the image quality of accelerated and flow-suppressed 3D intracranial vessel wall MR imaging techniques relative to conventional acquisitions.
Materials And Methods:
Consecutive patients undergoing MR imaging had conventional postcontrast 3D T1-sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts by using different flip angle evolution (SPACE) and either postcontrast delay alternating with nutation for tailored excitation (DANTE) flow-suppressed or DANTE-controlled aliasing in parallel imaging results in higher acceleration (CAIPI) flow-suppressed and accelerated T1-SPACE sequences performed. The sequences were evaluated using 4- or 5-point Likert scales for overall image quality, SNR, extent/severity of artifacts, motion, blood suppression, sharpness, and lesion assessment. Quantitative assessment of lumen and wall-to-lumen contrast ratios was performed.
Results:
Eighty-nine patients were included. T1-DANTE-SPACE had significantly better qualitative ratings relative to T1-SPACE for image quality, SNR, artifact impact, arterial and venous suppression, and lesion assessment (P < .001 for each, respectively), with the exception of motion (P = .16). T1-DANTE-CAIPI-SPACE had significantly better image quality, lesion assessment, arterial and venous blood suppression, less artifact impact, and less motion compared with T1-SPACE (P < .001 for each, respectively). The SNR was higher with T1-SPACE compared with T1-DANTE-CAIPI-SPACE (P < .001). T1-DANTE-CAIPI-SPACE showed significantly worse lumen (P = .005) and wall-to-lumen contrast ratios (P = .001) compared with T1-SPACE, without a significant difference between T1-SPACE and T1-DANTE-SPACE. T1-DANTE-CAIPI-SPACE scan time was 5:11 minutes compared with 8:08 and 8:41 minutes for conventional T1-SPACE and T1-DANTE-SPACE, respectively.
Conclusions:
Accelerated postcontrast T1-DANTE-CAIPI-SPACE had fewer image artifacts, less motion, improved blood suppression, and a shorter scan time, but lower qualitative and quantitative SNR ratings relative to conventional T1-SPACE intracranial vessel wall MR imaging. Postcontrast T1-DANTE-SPACE had superior SNR, blood suppression, higher image quality, and fewer image artifacts, but slightly longer scan times relative to T1-SPACE.
Insights
Accelerated 3D intracranial vessel wall MRI with DANTE-SPACE offers improved image quality and reduced artifacts compared to conventional SPACE. T1-DANTE-CAIPI-SPACE provides faster scans but with lower SNR, while T1-DANTE-SPACE shows better SNR and quality with slightly longer acquisition times.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- 3D intracranial vessel wall MRI is crucial for diagnosing cerebrovascular diseases.
- Conventional techniques are lengthy and susceptible to artifacts, particularly flow-related ones.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the image quality of accelerated and flow-suppressed 3D intracranial vessel wall MRI techniques against conventional methods.
- To evaluate the impact of DANTE and CAIPI acceleration on image quality, artifacts, and scan time.
Main Methods:
- Consecutive patients underwent conventional T1-SPACE MRI and accelerated T1-DANTE-SPACE or T1-DANTE-CAIPI-SPACE sequences.
- Image quality was assessed qualitatively (Likert scales) and quantitatively (SNR, contrast ratios).
Main Results:
- T1-DANTE-SPACE significantly outperformed T1-SPACE in image quality, SNR, artifact reduction, and blood suppression (P < .001).
- T1-DANTE-CAIPI-SPACE demonstrated superior image quality, artifact reduction, and motion suppression but lower SNR and contrast ratios compared to T1-SPACE.
- Accelerated sequences significantly reduced scan times (e.g., T1-DANTE-CAIPI-SPACE at 5:11 min vs. T1-SPACE at 8:08 min).
Conclusions:
- Accelerated T1-DANTE-CAIPI-SPACE offers faster intracranial vessel wall imaging with fewer artifacts and improved blood suppression, albeit with reduced SNR.
- T1-DANTE-SPACE provides enhanced image quality and SNR over conventional T1-SPACE, with only a marginal increase in scan time.
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