Comparison of breath-hold fast spin-echo and conventional spin-echo pulse sequences for T2-weighted MR imaging of liver lesions

PURPOSE: To evaluate a breath-hold fast spin-echo (SE) technique for T2- weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of liver lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A fast SE technique was developed that enabled six sections to be imaged per 16-second breath hold with a single echo. Resulting images were compared with those obtained with the first echo of a conventional dual-echo T2-weighted SE sequence (16 minutes 55 seconds for 18 sections). Thirty-one patients with malignant focal hepatic lesions were studied prospectively. The images were compared quantitatively and qualitatively. RESULTS: Quantitatively, the contrast and contrast-to-noise ratios for the fast SE images were 20% ± 5 and 19% ± 8 greater, respectively, than those for the conventional T2-weighted SE images of the 54 representative lesions. Qualitatively, fast SE images had less image artifact, enabled comparable or better lesion sizing, and greatly improved depiction of extra-hepatic structures compared with conventional T2-weighted SE images. CONCLUSION: The fast SE technique with breath holding provides diagnostically useful liver images in a greatly decreased acquisition time.