A novel abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique called radial volumetric encoding (RAVE) T2/T1 hybrid sequence is better than T2 half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo imaging (HASTE) in terms of image quality and signal-to-noise ratio. This could be useful in the evaluation of abdominal complications in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), according to a new study published in the European Journal of Radiology.
“Together with increased robustness against motion artifacts, the RAVE T2/T1 hybrid sequence appears to be a good tool for abdominal imaging in CF patients,” the authors of the study wrote.
Patients with CF often experience abdominal complications. The diagnosis of these complications can be achieved using imaging techniques.
In the present study, a team of researchers led by Martin Krämer from the Department of Radiology, University Hospital in Jena, Germany, prospectively evaluated the image quality and signal-to-noise ratio of the RAVE T2/T1 hybrid sequence for abdominal MRI and compared it to axial T2 HASTE and T1 DIXON.
Read more about the complications of CF
The researchers analyzed 16 patients with CF and assessed the signal-to-noise ratio values in 6 different regions.
The results showed that the signal-to-noise ratio was significantly higher in the T2-weighted aspect of the RAVE T2/T1 hybrid sequence than in T2 HASTE in all regions. However, it was significantly lower in the T1-weighted in-phase aspect of the RAVE T2/T1 hybrid sequence than in the T1 DIXON sequence.
Moreover, the T2-weighted aspect of the RAVE T2/T1 hybrid sequence was significantly higher than that of T2 HASTE. This was the case in 6 of the 7 categories.
Finally, the T1-weighted in-phase aspect of the RAVE T2/T1 hybrid sequence was significantly higher than that of T1 DIXON in 2 out of 6 categories.
RAVE T2/T1 is a 3-dimensional radial sequence with fat saturation and the suppression of blood flow. It can acquire T2- and T1-weighted contrasts in a single scan in an identical slice position while the patient is free-breathing.
Reference
Glutig K, Krüger PC, Oberreuther T, et al. A novel free-breathing abdominal RAVE T2/T1 hybrid MRI sequence in patients with cystic fibrosis: preliminary results. Eur J Radiol. Published online July 27, 2022. doi:10.1016/j.ejrad.2022.110454
