Image quality and diagnostic value of diffusion-weighted breast magnetic resonance imaging: Comparison of acquired and computed images

Purpose To compare the image quality of acquired diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and computed DWI and evaluate the lesion detectability and likelihood of malignancy in these datasets. Materials and methods This prospective study was approved by our institutional review board. A total of 29 women (mean age, 43.5 years) underwent DWI between August 2018 and April 2019 for 32 breast cancers and 16 benign breast lesions. Three radiologists independently reviewed the acquired DWI with b-values of 1000 and 2000 s/mm2 (A-b1000 and A-b2000) and the computed DWI with a b-value of 2000 s/mm2 (C-b2000). Image quality was scored and compared between the three DWI datasets. Lesion detectability was recorded, and the lesion’s likelihood for malignancy was scored using a five-point scale. Results The A-b1000 images were superior to the A-b2000 and C-b2000 images in chest distinction, fat suppression, and overall image quality. The A-b2000 and C-b2000 images showed comparable scores for all image quality parameters. C-b2000 showed the highest values for lesion detection among all readers, although there was no statistical difference in sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy between the DWI datasets. The malignancy scores of the DWI images were not significantly different among the three readers. Conclusions A-b1000 DWI is suitable for breast lesion evaluations, considering its better image quality and comparable diagnostic values compared to that of A-b2000 and C-b2000 images. The additional use of computed high b-value DWI may have the potential to increase the detectability of breast masses.

Download Full-text

Diagnostic Benefit of High b-Value Computed Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in Patients with Hepatic Metastasis

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10225289 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (22) ◽

pp. 5289

Author(s):

Maxime Ablefoni ◽

Hans Surup ◽

Constantin Ehrengut ◽

Aaron Schindler ◽

Daniel Seehofer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Image Quality ◽

Hepatic Metastasis ◽

Diffusion Weighted Imaging ◽

Hepatic Metastases ◽

B Value ◽

Primary Tumors ◽

B Values ◽

Lesion Detectability ◽

High B Value ◽

Diffusion Weighted

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has rapidly become an essential tool for the detection of malignant liver lesions. The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of high b-value computed DWI (c-DWI) in comparison to standard DWI in patients with hepatic metastases. In total, 92 patients with histopathologic confirmed primary tumors with hepatic metastasis were retrospectively analyzed by two readers. DWI was obtained with b-values of 50, 400 and 800 or 1000 s/mm2 on a 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. C-DWI was calculated with a monoexponential model with high b-values of 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000 s/mm2. All c-DWI images with high b-values were compared to the acquired DWI sequence at a b-value of 800 or 1000 s/mm2 in terms of volume, lesion detectability and image quality. In the group of a b-value of 800 from a b-value of 2000 s/mm2, hepatic lesion sizes were significantly smaller than on acquired DWI (metastases lesion sizes b = 800 vs. b 2000 s/mm2: mean 25 cm3 (range 10–60 cm3) vs. mean 17.5 cm3 (range 5–35 cm3), p < 0.01). In the second group at a high b-value of 1500 s/mm2, liver metastases were larger than on c-DWI at higher b-values (b = 1500 vs. b 2000 s/mm2, mean 10 cm3 (range 4–24 cm3) vs. mean 9 cm3 (range 5–19 cm3), p < 0.01). In both groups, there was a clear reduction in lesion detectability at b = 2000 s/mm2, with hepatic metastases being less visible compared to c-DWI images at b = 1500 s/mm2 in at least 80% of all patients. Image quality dropped significantly starting from c-DWI at b = 3000 s/mm2. In both groups, almost all high b-values images at b = 4000 s/mm2 and 5000 s/mm2 were not diagnostic due to poor image quality. High c-DWI b-values up to b = 1500 s/mm2 offer comparable detectability for hepatic metastases compared to standard DWI. Higher b-value images over 2000 s/mm2 lead to a noticeable reduction in imaging quality, which could hamper diagnosis.

Download Full-text

Image quality and diagnostic accuracy of complex-averaged high b value images in diffusion-weighted MRI of prostate cancer

Abdominal Radiology ◽

10.1007/s00261-019-01961-0 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 44 (6) ◽

pp. 2244-2253 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hamed Kordbacheh ◽

Ravi Teja Seethamraju ◽

Elisabeth Weiland ◽

Berthold Kiefer ◽

Marcel Dominik Nickel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prostate Cancer ◽

Image Quality ◽

Diagnostic Accuracy ◽

B Value ◽

Diffusion Weighted Mri ◽

High B Value ◽

Diffusion Weighted

Download Full-text

Quantitative evaluation of the image quality using the fast nonlocal means denoising approach in diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging with high b-value

Journal of the Korean Physical Society ◽

10.1007/s40042-020-00028-4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 78 (3) ◽

pp. 244-250

Author(s):

Jaeyoung Park ◽

Chang-Ki Kang ◽

Youngjin Lee

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Image Quality ◽

Quantitative Evaluation ◽

B Value ◽

Resonance Imaging ◽

Nonlocal Means ◽

High B Value ◽

Diffusion Weighted ◽

Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Download Full-text

Comparison of the Diagnostic Performance of Synthetic Versus Acquired High b-Value (1500 s/mm2 ) Diffusion-Weighted MRI in Women With Breast Cancers

Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

10.1002/jmri.26259 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 49 (3) ◽

pp. 857-863 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Jung Hyun Park ◽

Bo La Yun ◽

Mijung Jang ◽

Hye Shin Ahn ◽

Sun Mi Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diagnostic Performance ◽

B Value ◽

Breast Cancers ◽

Diffusion Weighted Mri ◽

High B Value ◽

Diffusion Weighted

Download Full-text

Diffusion-weighted MRI of ischemic stroke at 3T: Value of synthetic b-values

British Journal of Radiology ◽

10.1259/bjr.20200869 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 94 (1121) ◽

pp. 20200869

Author(s):

Thomas Sartoretti ◽

Elisabeth Sartoretti ◽

Michael Wyss ◽

Manoj Mannil ◽

Luuk van Smoorenburg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Image Quality ◽

Detection Rate ◽

Contrast Ratio ◽

B Value ◽

Lesion Detection ◽

B Values ◽

Diffusion Weighted ◽

Synthetic Images ◽

Lesion Conspicuity

Objectives: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of ischemic stroke. We assessed the value of computed and acquired high b-value DWI in comparison with conventional b = 1000 s mm−2 DWI for ischemic stroke at 3T. Methods: We included 36 patients with acute ischemic stroke who presented with diffusion abnormalities on DWI performed within 24 h of symptom onset. B-values of 0, 500, 1000 and 2000 s mm−2 were acquired. Synthetic images with b-values of 1000, 1500, 2000 and 2500 s mm−2 were computed. Two readers compared synthetic (syn) and acquired (acq) b = 2000 s mm−2 images with acquired b = 1000 s mm−2 images in terms of lesion detection rate, image quality, presence of uncertain hyperintensities and lesion conspicuity. Readers also selected their preferred b-value. Contrast ratio (CR) measurements were performed. Non-parametrical statistical tests and weighted Cohens’ κ tests were computed. Results: Syn1000 and syn1500 matched acq1000 images in terms of lesion detection rate, image quality and presence of uncertain hyperintensities but presented with significantly improved lesion conspicuity (p < 0.01) and were frequently selected as preferred b-values. Acq2000 images exhibited a similar lesion detection rate and improved lesion conspicuity (p < 0.01) but worse image quality (p < 0.01) than acq1000 images. Syn2000 and syn2500 images performed significantly worse (p < 0.01) than acq1000 images in most or all categories. CR significantly increased with increasing b-values. Conclusion: Synthetic images at b = 1000 and 1500 s mm−2 and acquired DWI images at b = 2000 s mm−2 may be of clinical value due to improved lesion conspicuity. Advances in knowledge: Synthetic b-values enable improved lesion conspicuity for DWI of ischemic stroke.

Download Full-text