Image quality of T2w-TSE of the abdomen and pelvis with Cartesian or BLADE-type k-space sampling: a retrospective interindividual comparison study.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the image quality of T2-weighted (T2w) imaging of the abdomen and pelvis based on the acquisition of rotating rectangular stripes of k-space data after successive radiofrequency excitation (BLADE technique) in comparison to T2w turbo-spin-echo (TSE) sequences with Cartesian k-space sampling.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total number of 107 patients with MR imaging of the abdomen or the pelvis were included in this retrospective interindividual study. All exams were performed in the clinical routine at 1.5T. The T2w images were randomly performed in BLADE technique or as TSE sequences. Two blinded radiologists assessed the images, presented in a random order, concerning the delineation of the abdominal and the musculoskeletal structures, the artifacts of these structures, and the overall image qualities.

RESULTS

For the abdomen the mean overall image quality of the T2w-BLADE was rated 3.2 vs. 3.1 for T2w-TSE (p=0.871). The mean musculoskeletal/visceral artifacts of the T2w-BLADE were scored as 2.9/3.0 vs. 3.2/2.6 for the T2w-TSE (p=0.101/p=0.051). The delineation of the musculoskeletal, respectively of the visceral structures was assessed for the T2w-BLADE as 3.0/3.4 vs. 3.2/3.1 for the T2w-TSE (p=0.263; p=0.185). For the pelvis the mean overall image quality of the T2w-BLADE was 3.4 vs. 2.9 for the T2w-TSE (p=0.005). Furthermore the musculoskeletal/visceral artifacts were assessed with a mean of 3.6/3.3 for the T2w-BLADE vs. 3.0/2.8 for the T2w-TSE (p=0.005; p=0.011). The musculoskeletal/visceral delineation of the T2w-BLADE was rated 3.6/3.4 vs. 3.0/2.8 for the T2w-TSE sequence (p<0.001; p=0.008).

CONCLUSION

In imaging of the pelvis the overall quality of T2w sequences with k-space sampling in BLADE technique was rated significantly superior compared with the standard Cartesian sampling. Similar results were assessed for the reduction of the amount of artifacts and blurring. By contrast, no significant benefit could be demonstrated for the T2w-BLADE in the abdomen.