Reliability of brain volume measures of accelerated 3D T1-weighted images with deep learning-based reconstruction

The time-intensive nature of acquiring 3D T1-weighted MRI and analyzing brain volumetry limits quantitative evaluation of brain atrophy. We explore the feasibility and reliability of deep learning-based accelerated MRI scans for brain volumetry.

This retrospective study collected 3D T1-weighted data using 3T from 42 participants for the simulated acceleration dataset and 48 for the validation dataset. The simulated acceleration dataset consists of three sets at different simulated acceleration levels (Simul-Accel) corresponding to level 1 (65% undersampling), 2 (70%), and 3 (75%). These images were then subjected to deep learning-based reconstruction (Simul-Accel-DL). Conventional images (Conv) without acceleration and DL were set as the reference. In the validation dataset, DICOM images were collected from Conv and accelerated scan with DL-based reconstruction (Accel-DL). The image quality of Simul-Accel-DL was evaluated using quantitative error metrics. Volumetric measurements were evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and linear regression analysis in both datasets. The volumes were estimated by two software, NeuroQuant and DeepBrain.

Simul-Accel-DL across all acceleration levels revealed comparable or better error metrics than Simul-Accel. In the simulated acceleration dataset, ICCs between Conv and Simul-Accel-DL in all ROIs exceeded 0.90 for volumes and 0.77 for normative percentiles at all acceleration levels. In the validation dataset, ICCs for volumes > 0.96, ICCs for normative percentiles > 0.89, and R² > 0.93 at all ROIs except pallidum demonstrated good agreement in both software.

DL-based reconstruction achieves clinical feasibility of 3D T1 brain volumetric MRI by up to 75% acceleration relative to full-sampled acquisition.