Image quality in whole-body MRI using the MY-RADS protocol in a prospective multi-centre multiple myeloma study

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Oncology

Background:

• The Myeloma Response Assessment and Diagnosis System (MY-RADS) provides standardized guidelines for whole-body MRI (WB-MRI) in myeloma patients.
• This study is the first to evaluate image quality within a multi-center prospective trial adhering to MY-RADS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and image quality of a multi-center prospective WB-MRI study using the MY-RADS protocol.
• To evaluate both qualitative and quantitative image quality metrics and their repeatability.

Main Methods:

• 121 WB-MRI examinations were acquired across ten sites using various scanner manufacturers and field strengths.
• Image quality was assessed qualitatively by radiologists and quantitatively using a semi-automated pipeline.
• Intra- and inter-rater repeatability for both scoring methods was evaluated.

Main Results:

• Overall image quality was generally good, with 94% of examinations rated as good or excellent.
• A significant correlation was found between qualitative radiological assessment and quantitative measures.
• Low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), anterior thoracic signal loss, and geometric distortion were identified as predictors of lower quality.

Conclusions:

• Multi-center WB-MRI studies using the MY-RADS protocol are feasible across diverse equipment.
• Developed quantitative metrics correlate well with expert radiological assessment.
• Optimizing SNR in DWI is crucial for maintaining overall examination quality in multi-center WB-MRI studies.