Comparison of intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging between turbo spin-echo and echo-planar imaging of the head and neck

• Published in: European radiology Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 316 - 324
• Main Authors: Mikayama, Ryoji, Yabuuchi, Hidetake, Sonoda, Shinjiro, Kobayashi, Koji, Nagatomo, Kazuya, Kimura, Mitsuhiro, Kawanami, Satoshi, Kamitani, Takeshi, Kumazawa, Seiji, Honda, Hiroshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.01.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Diagnostic Radiology; Diffusion; Diffusion coefficient; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Distortion; Echo-Planar Imaging - methods; Female; Head - anatomy & histology; Head - physiology; Head and Neck; Humans; Image quality; Imaging; Inhomogeneity; Internal Medicine; Interventional Radiology; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Motion; Neck; Neck - anatomy & histology; Neck - physiology; Neuroradiology; Noise; Quantitative analysis; Radiology; Reference Values; Reproducibility; Reproducibility of Results; Signal to noise ratio; Ultrasound; Young Adult; Artefacts; Head and neck; Magnetic resonance imaging; Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging; Intravoxel incoherent motion
• ISSN: 0938-7994; 1432-1084
• DOI: 10.1007/s00330-017-4990-x

Objectives To compare image quality, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM)-derived parameters between turbo spin-echo (TSE)-diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and echo-planar imaging (EPI)-DWI of the head and neck. Methods Fourteen volunteers underwent head and neck imaging using TSE-DWI and EPI-DWI. Distortion ratio (DR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), ADC and IVIM-derived parameters were compared between the two techniques. Bland-Altman analysis was performed to analyse reproducibility between the quantitative parameters of TSE-DWI and EPI-DWI. Results DR of TSE-DWI was significantly smaller than that of EPI-DWI. SNR and CNR of TSE-DWI were significantly higher than those of EPI-DWI. ADC and IVIM-derived parameters of TSE-DWI showed higher values than those of EPI-DWI, although the difference was not significant. Bland-Altman analysis showed wide limits of agreement between the two sequences. Conclusion TSE-DWI can produce better image quality than EPI-DWI, while TSE-DWI possibly exhibits different values of quantitative parameters. Therefore, TSE-DWI could be a good alternative to EPI-DWI for patients sensitive to distortion. However, it is not recommended to use both TSE-DWI and EPI-DWI on follow-up. Key points • Head and neck DWI is especially sensitive to magnetic inhomogeneity . • The distortion of images was less with TSE - DWI than with EPI - DWI . • TSE - DWI can possibly exhibit higher ADC and IVIM - derived parameters than EPI - DWI . • Bland - Altman analysis showed unacceptable LoA in quantitative analysis between TSE - DWI and EPI - DWI . • It is not recommended to use both TSE - DWI and EPI - DWI for follow - up .