Thomas Perkins PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Employee, Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV

Jeremy Van Tilburg RT, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Shahid Mahmood Hussain MD, Presenter: Employee, Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV

To assess the feasibility of a 10-minutes comprehensive liver MR imaging protocol at 3.0T based on the application of single-shot turbo spin-echo (SSTSE), modified DIXON (mDIXON), and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and a simultaneous scanning and reconstruction algorithm.

During a one-month period, 16 consecutive patients (8 males and 8 females; mean age, 56.3 years, age range 37-84) were examined based on a simultaneous scanning and reconstruction MRI method optimized to assess liver lesions. The method consisted of multiple breath hold sequences, including axial and coronal T2-weighted single-shot fast spin-echo imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging (b-values of 0, 20, and 500), pre-contrast axial 2-point mDIXON (yielding in-phase, out-of-phase, water, and fat images), arterial (timed based on the bolus track) and delayed phase gadolinium-enhanced images (axial and coronal) acquired based on the water-image from the mDixon sequence. The total MRI scan time was measured by recording the start and end points of the exams as reported by the MRI system on the images. The overall and per-sequence image quality was ranked by an experienced MR radiologist on a scale from 1 to 5 (5 being excellent).

All MR imaging exams were successfully performed in all patients. The mean in-room time to conduct the entire MR imaging study was 10±2 minutes (range, 8-12 minutes). 12 of 16 (75%) patients were scanned in ≤10 minutes. The remaining 4 patients had exam times of ≤ 12 minutes. For the 4 patients above 10 minutes, the causes of the increased exam time were patient-related (3 cases), and MR protocol-related (1 case). The overall image quality score was 3.8 +/- 0.9. The per-sequence image quality varied between 2 and 5 (DWI was the lowest, 2, and the arterial phase was the highest, 5).

A 10-minutes comprehensive liver MRI protocol at 3.0T is feasible by the application of novel breath-hold sequences and a simultaneous scanning and reconstruction algorithm.

This novel 10-minute liver protocol could also be used to significantly reduce the MRI exam times for other body MRI applications as well as for surveillance of hepatocellular carcinomas.

Perkins, T, Van Tilburg, J, Hussain, S, A 10-Minute Comprehensive Liver MR Imaging Protocol at 3.0 T: Application of Novel Breath-Hold Sequences and a Simultaneous Scanning and Reconstruction Algorithm.  Radiological Society of North America 2010 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 28 - December 3, 2010 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2010/9004861.html