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Simultaneous multislice diffusion-weighted imaging versus standard diffusion-weighted imaging in whole-body PET/MRI
Felipe S Furtado1,2, Nathaniel D Mercaldo1, Thomas Vahle3
1Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
European Radiology
|December 2, 2022
Summary
Simultaneous multislice diffusion-weighted imaging (SMS-DWI) significantly reduces whole-body PET/MRI acquisition time while maintaining or improving image quality and lesion detection compared to standard DWI. This advanced technique enhances diagnostic yield in cancer staging and restaging.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
- Oncology
Background:
- Whole-body positron emission tomography (PET)/MRI combines anatomical and functional imaging for comprehensive patient assessment.
- Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is crucial for detecting and characterizing tumors.
- Standard DWI (STD-DWI) acquisition can be time-consuming, potentially impacting patient comfort and throughput.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare standard (STD-DWI) and simultaneous multislice (SMS-DWI) techniques for whole-body PET/MRI.
- To evaluate differences in acquisition time, image quality, and lesion detection between STD-DWI and SMS-DWI.
- To determine the clinical utility of SMS-DWI in cancer staging and restaging.
Main Methods:
- Prospective enrollment of 83 adult patients with abdominal or pelvic tumors referred for PET/MRI.
- Acquisition of axial STD-DWI and SMS-DWI sequences at specified b-values on a 3-T PET/MRI scanner.
- Radiologist assessment of image quality on a 5-point scale and quantification of lesion detection using anatomic MRI and PET as reference standards.
Main Results:
- Whole-body SMS-DWI acquisition time was significantly shorter (7.0 min) than STD-DWI (14.8 min) (p < 0.001).
- SMS-DWI demonstrated higher image quality scores in the abdomen (p < 0.001) but lower scores at the cervicothoracic junction (p < 0.001).
- SMS-DWI detected a higher proportion of lesions (84%) compared to STD-DWI (78%) (p = 0.038).
Conclusions:
- SMS-DWI offers a substantial reduction in whole-body acquisition time during PET/MRI.
- SMS-DWI generally maintains or improves image quality and lesion detection across most anatomical regions.
- SMS-DWI is a valuable technique for accelerating cancer staging and restaging with PET/MRI, improving diagnostic yield.
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