Preliminary study on the feasibility of united compressed sensing with radial acquisition as a routine method for liver dynamic contrast-enhanced examination in elderly patients with malignancy.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the value of the united imaging compressed sensing with radial acquisition (uCSR) in liver dynamic contrast-enhanced examinations for elderly patients with malignancy.

METHODS

Hundred patients aged 65 years or over were randomly divided into two groups: 50 patients underwent liver dynamic contrast-enhanced scanning using the uCSR sequence during free breathing, and 50 patients underwent scanning using the three-dimensional volume interpolated breath-hold examination (3D-VIBE) sequence while holding breath. Two radiologists independently and subjectively evaluated the overall image quality and image artifacts with a five-point scale. Concurrently, two technologists measured the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the arterial, portal venous and delay phase images in both groups.

RESULTS

uCSR has superior overall image-quality and image-artifact scores (z = 2.342, p = 0.019; z = 2.105, p = 0.035). The 3D-VIBE images of the arterial phase have higher SNR than uCSR (t = 4.988, p = 0.000), with no significant difference in the CNR (z = 0.676, p = 0.499). In the portal venous phase, the SNR and CNR of the 3D-VIBE images are superior to those of uCSR (z = 5.674, p = 0.000; t = 3.638, p = 0.000). In the delay phase, the SNR of the 3D-VIBE is slightly better than the uCSR (t = 5.471, p = 0.000), and the CNR shows no significant difference (z = 1.258, p = 0.208).

CONCLUSION

uCSR can be used as a method for liver dynamic contrast-enhanced scans in elderly patients with malignancy. It can improve patient comfort and reduce the failure rate of scans.

CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

Our findings suggested that uCSR can be used for liver dynamic contrast-enhanced scans in elderly patients with malignancy, this preliminary study provided basis for it.

KEY POINTS

The uCSR can suppress the impact of respiratory motion artifacts on images. The UCSR can perform dynamic enhanced scanning of the liver under free breathing dynamics. The uCSR is suitable for dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging of the liver in elderly patients with malignancy.