Wave-controlled aliasing in parallel imaging magnetization-prepared gradient echo (wave-CAIPI MPRAGE) accelerates speed for pediatric brain MRI with comparable diagnostic performance

Younghee Yim,Jun Soo Byun,Mi Sun Chung,Su Yeong Kim,Na Mi Lee,Soo Ahn Chae

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-92759-y

Younghee Yim, Jun Soo Byun + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-92759-y

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Abstract

We aimed to compare accelerated post-contrast magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo (MPRAGE) using wave-controlled aliasing in parallel imaging (wave-CAIPI) with conventional MPRAGE as a reliable method to diagnose intracranial lesions in pediatric patients. A total of 23 consecutive pediatric patients who underwent post-contrast wave-CAIPI and conventional MPRAGE (scan time: 2 min 39 s vs. 5 min 46 s) were retrospectively evaluated. Two radiologists independently assessed each image for the presence of intracranial lesions. Quantitative [contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), contrast rate (CR), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)] and qualitative parameters (overall image quality, gray-white matter differentiation, demarcation of basal ganglia and sulci, and motion artifacts) were also surveyed. Wave-CAIPI MPRAGE and conventional MPRAGE detected enhancing and non-enhancing intracranial lesions with 100% agreement. Although wave-CAIPI MPRAGE had a lower SNR (all p < 0.05) and overall image quality (overall analysis, p = 0.02) compared to conventional MPRAGE, other quantitative (CNR and CR) and qualitative parameters (gray-white differentiation, demarcation of basal ganglia and sulci, and motion artifacts) were comparable in the pooled analysis and between both observers (all p > 0.05). Wave-CAIPI MPRAGE was a reliable method for diagnosing intracranial lesions in pediatric patients as conventional MPRAGE at half the scan time.

Highlights

In pediatric patients, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an essential imaging modality that provides high soft tissue contrast and spatial resolution without exposing the patient to ionizing r adiation1, 2
We hypothesized that wave-controlled aliasing in parallel imaging (CAIPI) magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo (MPRAGE) may have sufficient spatial resolution for the diagnosis of intracranial lesions at a significantly reduced scan time in pediatric patients
This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of post-contrast conventional 3D T1 weighted imaging MPRAGE and wave-CAIPI MPRAGE for intracranial lesions in pediatric patients

Summary

Introduction

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an essential imaging modality that provides high soft tissue contrast and spatial resolution without exposing the patient to ionizing r adiation . Wave-CAIPI was developed by combining bunched phase encoding and 2D-CAIPI to produce sinusoidal Gy and Gz gradients with a π/2 phase shift between the waveforms16 It creates a characteristic corkscrew 3D k-space trajectory and disperses aliasing resulting from the parallel acquisition in all three spatial directions (x, y, z). It has been suggested that, at half the scan time, pre-contrast wave-CAIPI MPRAGE may have sufficient spatial resolution for volumetric analysis in patients with d ementia. We hypothesized that wave-CAIPI MPRAGE may have sufficient spatial resolution for the diagnosis of intracranial lesions at a significantly reduced scan time in pediatric patients. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of post-contrast conventional 3D T1 weighted imaging MPRAGE and wave-CAIPI MPRAGE for intracranial lesions in pediatric patients. Quantitative and qualitative image parameters for both sequences were compared

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