Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Endolymphatic Hydrops Using Compressed Sensing Acceleration Technique

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Endolymphatic hydrops (EH) is the primary pathology in Ménière's disease (MD).
• Current MRI techniques for EH, like HYDROPS, provide high-quality imaging but suffer from long acquisition times.
• Gadolinium-based contrast agents are essential for visualizing fluid spaces in the inner ear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel compressed sensing HYDROPS (cs-HYDROPS) sequence for accelerated EH imaging.
• To compare the image quality and diagnostic accuracy of cs-HYDROPS against the conventional HYDROPS technique.
• To assess the potential of cs-HYDROPS to improve clinical workflow for MD diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• A new compressed sensing HYDROPS (cs-HYDROPS) sequence was developed and tested on a 3 Tesla MRI scanner.
• 24 ears from 12 patients with suspected MD were scanned using both cs-HYDROPS and conventional HYDROPS.
• Image acquisition time and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were compared between the two sequences.

Main Results:

• The cs-HYDROPS sequence reduced scan time by 57.3% (from 30.2 to 12.9 minutes).
• CNR increased by 143.5% with cs-HYDROPS compared to conventional HYDROPS.
• High diagnostic agreement (Cohen's kappa = 0.903) was observed between cs-HYDROPS and HYDROPS.

Conclusions:

• Compressed sensing HYDROPS (cs-HYDROPS) is a faster and more efficient method for imaging endolymphatic hydrops.
• The cs-HYDROPS technique maintains diagnostic accuracy while significantly reducing scan time.
• This accelerated imaging approach may enhance the routine clinical use of EH imaging in Ménière's disease evaluation.