Investigative radiology
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Investigative radiology · Oct 2009
Diffusion weighted imaging: a comprehensive evaluation of a fast spin echo DWI sequence with BLADE (PROPELLER) k-space sampling at 3 T, using a 32-channel head coil in acute brain ischemia.
To evaluate the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and diagnostic quality of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) using a fast spin echo (FSE) sequence with BLADE k-space trajectory at 3 T in combination with a 32-channel head coil. The scan was compared with a standard spin echo (SE) echo-planar imaging (EPI) DWI and a high resolution SE EPI DWI sequence. ⋯ Our preliminary data demonstrates the feasibility of a FSE EPI DWI scan with radial-like k-space sampling, using a 32-channel coil at 3 T in acute brain ischemia. The BLADE DWI was the preferred scan for the detection of acute diffusion abnormalities because of the lack of bulk susceptibility artifacts.
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Investigative radiology · Oct 2009
MR evaluation of left ventricular volumes and function: threshold-based 3D segmentation versus short-axis planimetry.
Our study aimed to evaluate a three-dimensional (3D) threshold-based, region-growing segmentation algorithm for the assessment of left ventricular (LV) volumes in cardiac MRI. ⋯ Automated threshold-based segmentation of the left ventricle allows fast and reproducible assessment of LV volumes in cardiac MRI. Exclusion of papillary muscles and myocardial trabeculations from LV volumes leads to systematically lower LV volumes compared with short axis planimetry with semi-automatic contour detection.
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Investigative radiology · Oct 2009
Comparative StudyWhole-body MRI, including diffusion-weighted imaging, for the initial staging of malignant lymphoma: comparison to computed tomography.
To assess the value of whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), for the initial staging of malignant lymphoma, compared with computed tomography (CT). ⋯ Our results suggest that initial staging of malignant lymphoma using whole-body MRI (without DWI and with DWI) equals staging using CT in the majority of patients, whereas whole-body MRI never understaged relative to CT. Furthermore, whole-body MRI mostly correctly overstaged relative to CT, with a possible advantage of using DWI.