Usefulness of two-point Dixon fat-water separation technique in gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver magnetic resonance imaging

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG 2015-04, Vol.21 (16), p.5017-5022
• Main Authors: Ding, Ying, Rao, Sheng-Xiang, Chen, Cai-Zhong, Li, Ren-Chen, Zeng, Meng-Su
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - chemistry; Adipose Tissue - pathology; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Body Water; Breath Holding; Contrast Media - administration & dosage; Female; Gadolinium DTPA - administration & dosage; Humans; Liver Neoplasms - chemistry; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Middle Aged; Predictive Value of Tests; Prospective Studies; Prospective Study; Reproducibility of Results; Tumor Burden
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i16.5017

To compare differences between volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) using two-point Dixon fat-water separation (Dixon-VIBE) and chemically selective fat saturation (FS-VIBE) with magnetic resonance imaging examination. Forty-nine patients were included, who were scanned with two VIBE sequences (Dixon-VIBE and FS-VIBE) in hepatobiliary phase after gadoxetic acid administration. Subjective evaluations including sharpness of tumor, sharpness of vessels, strength and homogeneity of fat suppression, and artifacts that were scored using a 4-point scale. The liver-to-lesion contrast was also calculated and compared. Dixon-VIBE with water reconstruction had significantly higher subjective scores than FS-VIBE in strength and homogeneity of fat suppression (< 0.0001) but lower scores in sharpness of tumor (P < 0.0001), sharpness of vessels (P = 0.0001), and artifacts (P = 0.034). The liver-to-lesion contrast on Dixon-VIBE images was significantly lower than that on FS-VIBE (16.6% ± 9.4% vs 23.9% ± 12.1%, P = 0.0001). Dixon-VIBE provides stronger and more homogenous fat suppression than FS-VIBE, while has lower clarity of focal liver lesions in hepatobiliary phase after gadoxetic acid administration.