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High resolution navigated three‐dimensional T 1 ‐weighted hepatobiliary MRI using gadoxetic acid optimized for 1.5 tesla
Author(s) -
Nagle Scott K.,
Busse Reed F.,
Brau Anja C.,
Brittain Jean H.,
Frydrychowicz Alex,
Iwadate Yuji,
Reeder Scott B.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.23713
Subject(s) - gadoxetic acid , flip angle , medicine , magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear medicine , pulse sequence , image quality , t2 weighted , radiology , gadolinium dtpa , image (mathematics) , computer science , artificial intelligence
Abstract Purpose: To determine optimal delay times and flip angles for T1‐weighted hepatobiliary imaging at 1.5 Tesla (T) with gadoxetic acid and to demonstrate the feasibility of using a high‐resolution navigated optimized T1‐weighted pulse sequence to evaluate biliary disease. Materials and Methods: Eight healthy volunteers were scanned at 1.5T using a T1‐weighted three‐dimensional (3D)‐SPGR pulse sequence following the administration of 0.05 mmol/kg of gadoxetic acid. Navigator‐gating enabled acquisition of high spatial resolution (1.2 × 1.4 × 1.8 mm 3 , interpolated to 0.7 × 0.7 × 0.9 mm 3 ) images in approximately 5 min of free‐breathing. Multiple breath‐held acquisitions were performed at flip angles between 15° and 45° to optimize T1 weighting. To evaluate the performance of this optimized sequence in the setting of biliary disease, the image quality and biliary excretion of 51 consecutive clinical scans performed to assess primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) were evaluated. Results: Optimal hepatobiliary imaging occurs at 15–25 min, using a 40° flip angle. The image quality and visualization of biliary excretion in the PSC scans were excellent, despite the decreased liver function in some patients. Visualization of reduced excretion often provided diagnostic information that was unavailable by conventional magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). Conclusion: High‐resolution navigated 3D‐SPGR hepatobiliary imaging using gadoxetic acid and optimized scan parameters is technically feasible and can be clinically useful, even in patients with decreased hepatobiliary function. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;36:890–899. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.