Accelerated Nonenhanced 3D T1-MPRAGE Using Wave-Controlled Aliasing in Parallel Imaging for Infant Brain Imaging

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Pediatric Neurology

Background:

• MPRAGE is standard for pediatric T1-weighted MRI but has long scan times.
• Longer scans increase motion artifacts and sedation needs in infants.
• Accelerated techniques aim to reduce scan time while maintaining diagnostic quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• Compare nonenhanced accelerated wave-controlled aliasing in parallel imaging MPRAGE (wave-T1-MPRAGE) with standard MPRAGE in infants.
• Evaluate image quality, artifacts, myelination, and lesion detection.
• Assess the potential of wave-T1-MPRAGE as a faster alternative.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 68 infants (mean age 1.78 months).
• Independent assessment by two neuroradiologists using a 4-point Likert scale.
• Evaluation of image quality, artifacts, myelination, anatomic delineation, and nonenhancing lesions.

Main Results:

• Wave-T1-MPRAGE had lower image quality and interobserver agreement than standard MPRAGE (P < .001).
• No significant differences in motion artifacts or myelination assessment between sequences.
• Only 2 tiny WM lesions were missed by wave-T1-MPRAGE compared to standard MPRAGE.

Conclusions:

• Wave-T1-MPRAGE demonstrates lower image quality but comparable diagnostic performance for nonenhancing lesions.
• The reduced scan time makes wave-T1-MPRAGE a potential alternative for infant brain imaging.
• This accelerated sequence aids in diagnosing intracranial lesions in infants more efficiently.