Liver T2-weighted MR imaging: assessment of a three-dimensional fast spin-echo with extended echo train acquisition sequence at 1.5 Tesla.

Objective: To retrospectively compare image quality and lesion detectability with two T2-weighted sequences at 1.5 Tesla (T): respiratory-triggered three-dimensional fat sat fast-spin-echo with extended echo-train acquisition (3D FSE-XETA) and respiratory-triggered two-dimensional fat-sat fast recovery fast-spin-echo (2D FRFSE).

Methods: MR was performed at 1.5T in 53 consecutive patients. Two radiologists blinded to the sequence details reviewed the studies to determine: (i) signal and contrast to noise ratios, (ii) overall image quality, (iii) sensitivity for focal lesion detection.

Results: Image assessment scores for the 2D FRFSE sequence were significantly higher than those for the 3D FSE-XETA sequence for overall image quality (P < 0.01) and artifacts (P < 0.001). Sensitivity for liver lesion detection was higher with the 3D FSE-XETA sequence (69.3% versus 57.3%; P < 0.05) compared with the 2D FRFSE sequence. The 3D FSE-XETA sequence improves the reader confidence score (P < 0.01) for liver lesions detection. Inter-observer correlation was higher with the 3D FSE-XETA sequence.

Conclusions: For T2-weighted liver imaging at 1.5T, the 3D FSE-XETA sequence improves sensitivity, reader confidence score and interobserver correlation for focal liver lesion detection, but it suffers from a lower overall image quality and higher artifacts.