Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2025
15:48
Tracking the Mammary Architectural Features and Detecting Breast Cancer with Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: December 15, 2014
22.6K
Intraobserver and Interobserver Reproducibility of Breast Diffusion-Weighted Imaging Quantitative Parameters:
Yiqi Hu1, Qilan Hu1, Chenao Zhan1
1Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging : JMRI
|February 22, 2023
Summary
Readout-segmented echo-planar imaging (rs-EPI) demonstrates superior reproducibility for breast diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion-kurtosis imaging (DKI) parameters compared to single-shot echo-planar imaging (ss-EPI). This finding enhances diagnostic accuracy in breast lesion assessment.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
- Oncology
Background:
- Breast diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) techniques lack standardization in clinical practice.
- Variability in DWI acquisition protocols impacts diagnostic reliability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of DWI and diffusion-kurtosis imaging (DKI) parameters.
- To evaluate image quality between single-shot echo-planar imaging (ss-EPI) and readout-segmented echo-planar imaging (rs-EPI) for breast lesions.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 295 women with breast lesions.
- Utilized 3-T MRI with multi-b-value DWI (ss-EPI and rs-EPI) and DCE-MRI.
- Quantitative (MK, MD, ADC) and qualitative image quality assessments were performed twice by two observers.
Main Results:
- Both ss-EPI and rs-EPI showed excellent reproducibility for MK, MD, and ADC (ICCs >0.75).
- rs-EPI exhibited significantly lower within-subject coefficient of variation (wCV) values (2.51%-3.62%) compared to ss-EPI (3.63%-7.08%).
- rs-EPI also demonstrated superior reproducibility for image quality assessments (ICCs, 0.76-0.97) versus ss-EPI (ICCs, 0.54-0.90).
Conclusions:
- Readout-segmented echo-planar imaging (rs-EPI) offers higher intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility for quantitative diffusion parameters in breast lesions.
- rs-EPI also provides improved image quality reproducibility compared to ss-EPI.
- These findings suggest rs-EPI as a more reliable sequence for breast DWI and DKI.
