Published in:
01-09-2013 | Original Article
Fat suppression strategies in MR imaging of breast cancer at 3.0 T: comparison of the two-point Dixon technique and the frequency selective inversion method
Authors:
Wakako Kaneko Mikami, Toshiki Kazama, Hirotaka Sato, Hajime Yokota, Takashi Higashide, Takuro Horikoshi, Ken Motoori, Yukimasa Miyazawa, Takeshi Nagashima, Takashi Uno
Published in:
Japanese Journal of Radiology
|
Issue 9/2013
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Abstract
Purpose
To compare two fat suppression methods in contrast-enhanced MR imaging of breast cancer at 3.0 T: the two-point Dixon method and the frequency selective inversion method.
Materials and methods
Forty female patients with breast cancer underwent contrast-enhanced three-dimensional T1-weighted MR imaging at 3.0 T. Both the two-point Dixon method and the frequency selective inversion method were applied. Quantitative analyses of the residual fat signal-to-noise ratio and the contrast noise ratio (CNR) of lesion-to-breast parenchyma, lesion-to-fat, and parenchyma-to-fat were performed. Qualitative analyses of the uniformity of fat suppression, image contrast, and the visibility of breast lesions and axillary metastatic adenopathy were performed.
Results
The signal-to-noise ratio was significantly lower in the two-point Dixon method (P < 0.001). All CNR values were significantly higher in the two-point Dixon method (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). According to qualitative analysis, both the uniformity of fat suppression and image contrast with the two-point Dixon method were significantly higher (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively). Visibility of breast lesions and metastatic adenopathy was significantly better in the two-point Dixon method (P < 0.001 and P = 0.03, respectively).
Conclusion
The two-point Dixon method suppressed the fat signal more potently and improved contrast and visibility of the breast lesions and axillary adenopathy.