Abstract
Purpose
To implement and evaluate a technique for adaptively averaging 2D magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) images obtained using an interactive imaging system with a view to improving image quality at reduced fields of view (FOVs).
Materials and Methods
Images were obtained using an interactive implementation of a singleโshot halfโFourier rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) technique. Software was developed for adaptively averaging images, and an evaluation was performed in a phantom and a cohort of 10 patients referred for standard MRC. Adaptively averaged and standard singleโshot MRC images were evaluated with respect to their ability to demonstrate the common bile duct and main left and right intrahepatic duct branches.
Results
In all patient studies there was no difference in the ability of either the adaptive technique or the standard singleโshot method to demonstrate the common bile duct and the main left and right intrahepatic duct branches. However, in seven of the 10 patient studies the adaptive technique provided better visualization of the peripheral bile duct system (P = 0.035; sign test). There was no difference in the diagnostic confidence of the two techniques (P = 0.32, Wilcoxon signedโrank test).
Conclusion
Adaptive averaging of MRC images obtained using an interactive imaging paradigm significantly improves visualization of peripheral intrahepatic ducts. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. ยฉ 2006 WileyโLiss, Inc.