Tan Qinxuan, Miao Jingyu, Nitschke Leila, Nickel Marcel Dominik, Lerchbaumer Markus Herbert, Penzkofer Tobias, Hofbauer Sebastian, Peters Robert, Hamm Bernd, Geisel Dominik, Wagner Moritz, Walter-Rittel Thula Cannon
Department of Radiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.
MR Application Predevelopment, Siemens Healthnineers, Forchheim, Germany.
Eur J Radiol Open. 2024 Dec 12;14:100622. doi: 10.1016/j.ejro.2024.100622. eCollection 2025 Jun.
Deep learning (DL) accelerated controlled aliasing in parallel imaging results in higher acceleration (CAIPIRINHA)-volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE), provides high spatial resolution T1-weighted imaging of the upper abdomen. We aimed to investigate whether DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE can improve image quality, vessel conspicuity, and lesion detectability compared to a standard CAIPIRINHA-VIBE in renal imaging at 3 Tesla.
In this prospective study, 50 patients with 23 solid and 45 cystic renal lesions underwent MRI with clinical MR sequences, including standard CAIPIRINHA-VIBE and DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE sequences in the nephrographic phase at 3 Tesla. Two experienced radiologists independently evaluated both sequences and multiplanar reconstructions (MPR) of the sagittal and coronal planes for image quality with a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5 (5 =best). Quantitative measurements including the size of the largest lesion and renal lesion contrast ratios were evaluated.
DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE compared to standard CAIPIRINHA-VIBE showed significantly improved overall image quality, higher scores for renal border delineation, renal sinuses, vessels, adrenal glands, reduced motion artifacts and reduced perceived noise in nephrographic phase images (all p < 0.001). DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE with MPR showed superior lesion conspicuity and diagnostic confidence compared to standard CAIPIRINHA-VIBE. However, DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE presented a more synthetic appearance and more aliasing artifacts (p < 0.023). The mean size and signal intensity of renal lesions for DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE showed no significant differences compared to standard CAIPIRINHA-VIBE (p > 0.9).
DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE is well suited for kidney imaging in the nephrographic phase, provides good image quality, improved delineation of anatomic structures and renal lesions.
深度学习加速并行成像中的可控混叠（CAIPIRINHA）-容积内插屏气检查（VIBE）可实现更高的加速，能提供上腹部高空间分辨率的T1加权成像。我们旨在研究在3特斯拉肾脏成像中，与标准CAIPIRINHA-VIBE相比，深度学习CAIPIRINHA-VIBE（DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE）是否能提高图像质量、血管清晰度和病变可检测性。
在这项前瞻性研究中，50例患有23个实性和45个囊性肾病变的患者接受了MRI检查，采用临床MR序列，包括3特斯拉肾实质期的标准CAIPIRINHA-VIBE和DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE序列。两名经验丰富的放射科医生独立评估这两种序列以及矢状面和冠状面的多平面重建（MPR）的图像质量，采用1至5分的李克特量表（5分=最佳）。评估了包括最大病变大小和肾病变对比率在内的定量测量指标。
与标准CAIPIRINHA-VIBE相比，DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE显示总体图像质量显著提高，肾边界勾勒、肾窦、血管、肾上腺的评分更高，肾实质期图像中的运动伪影减少且感知噪声降低（所有p<0.001）。与标准CAIPIRINHA-VIBE相比，DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE联合MPR显示出更好的病变清晰度和诊断信心。然而，DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE呈现出更合成的外观和更多的混叠伪影（p<0.023）。与标准CAIPIRINHA-VIBE相比，DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE的肾病变平均大小和信号强度无显著差异（p>0.9）。
DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE非常适合肾实质期的肾脏成像，能提供良好的图像质量，改善解剖结构和肾病变的勾勒。
