Image quality and diagnostic performance of deep learning reconstruction for diffusion- weighted imaging in 3 T breast MRI

IF 3.2 3区医学 Q1 RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING

European Journal of Radiology Pub Date : 2025-02-12 DOI:10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.111997

Eun Ji Lee , Yun-Woo Chang , Eun Hye Lee , Jang Gyu Cha , Shin Young Kim , Nami Choi , Munyoung Paek , Omar Darwish

{"title":"Image quality and diagnostic performance of deep learning reconstruction for diffusion- weighted imaging in 3 T breast MRI","authors":"Eun Ji Lee , Yun-Woo Chang , Eun Hye Lee , Jang Gyu Cha , Shin Young Kim , Nami Choi , Munyoung Paek , Omar Darwish","doi":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.111997","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>This study aimed to assess the image quality and the diagnostic value of deep learning reconstruction (DLR) for diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) compared with conventional single-shot echo-planar imaging (ss-EPI) in 3 T breast MRI.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Between January and July 2023, this single-center prospective study involved patients who underwent both clinical breast MRI and additional DWIs including accelerated (fast DLR) and high-resolution (HR DLR) for the research purpose. Two radiologists independently evaluated image quality, including fat suppression homogeneity, image blurring, artifacts, and lesion conspicuity. The optimal cutoff value of the ADC value was determined based on a separate dataset comprising 98 breast lesions in 81 patients from a previous retrospective study. ADC values from 62 breast lesions (55 malignant, 7 benign) in 50 patients were analyzed to compare diagnostic performance across three DWI datasets.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The study cohort included 50 patients (median age, 55.3 years). Fast DLR and HR DLR showed significantly better image quality compared to ss-EPI (<em>P</em> < 0.05), with no significant difference between two DLR methods (<em>P</em> > 0.05). DLR protocols consistently outperform ss-EPI for reducing artifacts across all lesion types and lesion size (<em>P</em> < 0.05). Mean ADC values measured in the phantom and clinical images were not significantly different across DWI protocols (<em>P</em> > 0.05). No significant difference in the diagnostic performance with the AUC of 0.846 in ss-EPI, 0.828 in fast DLR and 0.855 in HR DLR (<em>P</em> > 0.05). Fast DLR showed a significantly lower standard deviation of ADC values compared to ss-EPI in malignant, mass-type lesions and those smaller than 2 cm (<em>P</em> < 0.05).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>DLR DWI in 3T breast MRI improves image quality in both accelerated and high-resolution acquisition settings without compromising diagnostic performance. The use of DLR in DWI of breast MRI could enhance the efficiency and versatility of imaging protocols, offering significant clinical value.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12063,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Radiology","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 111997"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"European Journal of Radiology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0720048X2500083X","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the image quality and the diagnostic value of deep learning reconstruction (DLR) for diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) compared with conventional single-shot echo-planar imaging (ss-EPI) in 3 T breast MRI.

Methods

Between January and July 2023, this single-center prospective study involved patients who underwent both clinical breast MRI and additional DWIs including accelerated (fast DLR) and high-resolution (HR DLR) for the research purpose. Two radiologists independently evaluated image quality, including fat suppression homogeneity, image blurring, artifacts, and lesion conspicuity. The optimal cutoff value of the ADC value was determined based on a separate dataset comprising 98 breast lesions in 81 patients from a previous retrospective study. ADC values from 62 breast lesions (55 malignant, 7 benign) in 50 patients were analyzed to compare diagnostic performance across three DWI datasets.

Results

The study cohort included 50 patients (median age, 55.3 years). Fast DLR and HR DLR showed significantly better image quality compared to ss-EPI (P < 0.05), with no significant difference between two DLR methods (P > 0.05). DLR protocols consistently outperform ss-EPI for reducing artifacts across all lesion types and lesion size (P < 0.05). Mean ADC values measured in the phantom and clinical images were not significantly different across DWI protocols (P > 0.05). No significant difference in the diagnostic performance with the AUC of 0.846 in ss-EPI, 0.828 in fast DLR and 0.855 in HR DLR (P > 0.05). Fast DLR showed a significantly lower standard deviation of ADC values compared to ss-EPI in malignant, mass-type lesions and those smaller than 2 cm (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

DLR DWI in 3T breast MRI improves image quality in both accelerated and high-resolution acquisition settings without compromising diagnostic performance. The use of DLR in DWI of breast MRI could enhance the efficiency and versatility of imaging protocols, offering significant clinical value.

查看原文本刊更多论文

本研究旨在评估深度学习重建（DLR）与传统单次回声平面成像（ss-EPI）相比，在 3 T 乳腺 MRI 中用于弥散加权成像（DWI）的图像质量和诊断价值。方法在 2023 年 1 月至 7 月期间，这项单中心前瞻性研究涉及接受临床乳腺 MRI 和附加 DWI（包括加速（快速 DLR）和高分辨率（HR DLR））检查的患者。两名放射科医生独立评估了图像质量，包括脂肪抑制均匀性、图像模糊、伪影和病变的清晰度。ADC 值的最佳临界值是根据先前一项回顾性研究中由 81 名患者的 98 个乳腺病变组成的单独数据集确定的。对 50 名患者的 62 个乳腺病变（55 个恶性，7 个良性）的 ADC 值进行了分析，以比较三个 DWI 数据集的诊断性能。与ss-EPI相比，快速DLR和HR DLR显示出明显更好的图像质量（P< 0.05），两种DLR方法之间无明显差异（P> 0.05）。在减少所有病变类型和病变大小的伪影方面，DLR 方案始终优于 s-EPI（P < 0.05）。不同 DWI 方案在模型和临床图像中测量的平均 ADC 值差异不大（P >0.05）。ss-EPI的AUC为0.846，快速DLR为0.828，HR DLR为0.855，诊断性能无明显差异（P >0.05）。在恶性、肿块型病变和小于 2 厘米的病变中，快速 DLR 显示的 ADC 值标准偏差明显低于 s-EPI（P< 0.05）。在乳腺磁共振成像的 DWI 中使用 DLR 可以提高成像方案的效率和多功能性，具有重要的临床价值。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

European Journal of Radiology 医学-核医学

CiteScore

6.70

自引率

3.00%

发文量

398

审稿时长

42 days

期刊介绍： European Journal of Radiology is an international journal which aims to communicate to its readers, state-of-the-art information on imaging developments in the form of high quality original research articles and timely reviews on current developments in the field. Its audience includes clinicians at all levels of training including radiology trainees, newly qualified imaging specialists and the experienced radiologist. Its aim is to inform efficient, appropriate and evidence-based imaging practice to the benefit of patients worldwide.