Diffusion-weighted imaging with simultaneous multi-slice echo-planar technique for the diagnosis of breast magnetic resonance imaging

• Published in: Japanese journal of radiology 2020-04, Vol.38 (4), p.358-364
• Main Authors: Machida, Youichi, Nomura, Kyoko, Shimauchi, Akiko, Kato, Yoshiaki, Nagatsuka, Machiko, Fukuma, Eisuke
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Area Under Curve; Breast; Breast - diagnostic imaging; Breast Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Confidence intervals; Conspicuity; Diagnostic systems; Diffusion; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Echo-Planar Imaging - methods; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Imaging; Lesions; Magnetic resonance imaging; Medical diagnosis; Medical imaging; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Nuclear Medicine; Original Article; Prospective Studies; Radiology; Radiotherapy; Resonance; ROC Curve
• ISSN: 1867-1071; 1867-108X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11604-020-00919-3

Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic potential of simultaneous multi-slice echo-planar diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) (SMS-DWI). Materials and methods A total of 55 consecutive patients underwent breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between April and September 2018. SMS-DWI and single-shot echo-planar DWI (SS-EPI-DWI) sequences were obtained with the following parameters: b value, 0, 850, and 1200 mm 2 /s for both; spacing between sections, 2 mm for SMS-DWI and 3 mm for SS-EPI-DWI. Lesion visibility was assessed by two radiologists, and minimal and maximal apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) for masses were measured. The Mann–Whitney U test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed. Results Of the 55 cases, 23 (41.8%) were malignant and 32 (58.2%) were benign. Visual conspicuity was superior on SMS-DWI in 47.1% ( n  = 16/34) or 55.9% ( n  = 19/34) among the lesions visible on DWI and ADC. ROC curve analyses revealed an area under the curve of 0.87 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68–1.00], 0.94 (95% CI 0.86–1.00), 0.93 (95% CI 0.84–1.00) and 0.90 (95% CI 0.77–1.00) for minimal and maximal ADC on SMS-DWI and ADC on SS-EPI-DWI, respectively. Conclusion Simultaneous multi-slice technique provided breast DWI of better visual conspicuity and comparable diagnostic performance with shorter acquisition time.