{"title":"Thin-slice T<sub>2</sub>-weighted images and deep-learning-based super-resolution reconstruction: improved preoperative assessment of vascular invasion for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.","authors":"Xiaoqi Zhou, Yuxin Wu, Yanjin Qin, Chenyu Song, Meng Wang, Huasong Cai, Qiaochu Zhao, Jiawei Liu, Jifei Wang, Zhi Dong, Yanji Luo, Zhenpeng Peng, Shi-Ting Feng","doi":"10.1186/s13244-025-02022-5","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To evaluate the efficacy of thin-slice T<sub>2</sub>-weighted imaging (T<sub>2</sub>WI) and super-resolution reconstruction (SRR) for preoperative assessment of vascular invasion in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ninety-five PDACs with preoperative MRI were retrospectively enrolled as a training set, with non-reconstructed T<sub>2</sub>WI (NRT<sub>2</sub>) in different slice thicknesses (NRT<sub>2</sub>-3, 3 mm; NRT<sub>2</sub>-5, ≥ 5 mm). A prospective test set was collected with NRT<sub>2</sub>-5 (n = 125) only. A deep-learning network was employed to generate reconstructed super-resolution T<sub>2</sub>WI (SRT<sub>2</sub>) in different slice thicknesses (SRT<sub>2</sub>-3, 3 mm; SRT<sub>2</sub>-5, ≥ 5 mm). Image quality was assessed, including the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and signal-intensity ratio (SIR<sub>t/p</sub>, tumor/pancreas; SIR<sub>t/b</sub>, tumor/background). Diagnostic efficacy for vascular invasion was evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC) and compared across different slice thicknesses before and after reconstruction.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>SRT<sub>2</sub>-5 demonstrated higher SNR and SIR<sub>t/p</sub> compared to NRT<sub>2</sub>-5 (74.18 vs 72.46; 1.42 vs 1.30; p < 0.05). SRT<sub>2</sub>-3 showed increased SIR<sub>t/p</sub> and SIR<sub>t/b</sub> over NRT<sub>2</sub>-3 (1.35 vs 1.31; 2.73 vs 2.58; p < 0.05). SRT<sub>2</sub>-5 showed higher CNR, SIR<sub>t/p</sub> and SIR<sub>t/b</sub> than NRT<sub>2</sub>-3 (p < 0.05). NRT<sub>2</sub>-3 outperformed NRT<sub>2</sub>-5 in evaluating venous invasion (AUC: 0.732 vs 0.597, p = 0.021). SRR improved venous assessment (AUC: NRT<sub>2</sub>-3, 0.927 vs 0.732; NRT<sub>2</sub>-5, 0.823 vs 0.597; p < 0.05), and SRT<sub>2</sub>-5 exhibits comparable efficacy to NRT<sub>2</sub>-3 in venous assessment (AUC: 0.823 vs 0.732, p = 0.162).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Thin-slice T<sub>2</sub>WI and SRR effectively improve the image quality and diagnostic efficacy for assessing venous invasion in PDAC. Thick-slice T<sub>2</sub>WI with SRR is a potential alternative to thin-slice T<sub>2</sub>WI.</p><p><strong>Critical relevance statement: </strong>Both thin-slice T<sub>2</sub>-WI and SRR effectively improve image quality and diagnostic performance, providing valuable options for optimizing preoperative vascular assessment in PDAC. Non-invasive and accurate assessment of vascular invasion supports treatment planning and avoids futile surgery.</p><p><strong>Key points: </strong>Vascular invasion evaluation is critical for the surgical eligibility of PDAC. SRR improved image quality and vascular assessment in T<sub>2</sub>WI. Utilizing thin-slice T<sub>2</sub>WI and SRR aids in clinical decision making for PDAC.</p>","PeriodicalId":13639,"journal":{"name":"Insights into Imaging","volume":"16 1","pages":"144"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Insights into Imaging","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13244-025-02022-5","RegionNum":2,"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: To evaluate the efficacy of thin-slice T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and super-resolution reconstruction (SRR) for preoperative assessment of vascular invasion in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
Methods: Ninety-five PDACs with preoperative MRI were retrospectively enrolled as a training set, with non-reconstructed T2WI (NRT2) in different slice thicknesses (NRT2-3, 3 mm; NRT2-5, ≥ 5 mm). A prospective test set was collected with NRT2-5 (n = 125) only. A deep-learning network was employed to generate reconstructed super-resolution T2WI (SRT2) in different slice thicknesses (SRT2-3, 3 mm; SRT2-5, ≥ 5 mm). Image quality was assessed, including the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and signal-intensity ratio (SIRt/p, tumor/pancreas; SIRt/b, tumor/background). Diagnostic efficacy for vascular invasion was evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC) and compared across different slice thicknesses before and after reconstruction.
Results: SRT2-5 demonstrated higher SNR and SIRt/p compared to NRT2-5 (74.18 vs 72.46; 1.42 vs 1.30; p < 0.05). SRT2-3 showed increased SIRt/p and SIRt/b over NRT2-3 (1.35 vs 1.31; 2.73 vs 2.58; p < 0.05). SRT2-5 showed higher CNR, SIRt/p and SIRt/b than NRT2-3 (p < 0.05). NRT2-3 outperformed NRT2-5 in evaluating venous invasion (AUC: 0.732 vs 0.597, p = 0.021). SRR improved venous assessment (AUC: NRT2-3, 0.927 vs 0.732; NRT2-5, 0.823 vs 0.597; p < 0.05), and SRT2-5 exhibits comparable efficacy to NRT2-3 in venous assessment (AUC: 0.823 vs 0.732, p = 0.162).
Conclusion: Thin-slice T2WI and SRR effectively improve the image quality and diagnostic efficacy for assessing venous invasion in PDAC. Thick-slice T2WI with SRR is a potential alternative to thin-slice T2WI.
Critical relevance statement: Both thin-slice T2-WI and SRR effectively improve image quality and diagnostic performance, providing valuable options for optimizing preoperative vascular assessment in PDAC. Non-invasive and accurate assessment of vascular invasion supports treatment planning and avoids futile surgery.
Key points: Vascular invasion evaluation is critical for the surgical eligibility of PDAC. SRR improved image quality and vascular assessment in T2WI. Utilizing thin-slice T2WI and SRR aids in clinical decision making for PDAC.
目的：探讨薄层t2加权成像（T2WI）和超分辨率重建（SRR）在胰腺导管腺癌（PDAC）血管浸润术前评估中的应用价值。方法：回顾性纳入95例术前MRI的pdac作为训练集，不同层厚的非重构T2WI (NRT2) (NRT2-3、3mm；NRT2-5,≥5mm)。仅用NRT2-5收集前瞻性试验集（n = 125）。利用深度学习网络生成不同切片厚度(SRT2-3、3 mm；SRT2-5,≥5mm)。评估图像质量，包括信噪比（SNR）、噪声对比比（CNR）和信号强度比(SIRt/p，肿瘤/胰腺；衬衫/ b、肿瘤/背景)。利用曲线下面积（AUC）评价血管侵犯的诊断效果，并比较重建前后不同切片厚度的血管侵犯诊断效果。结果：与NRT2-5相比，SRT2-5具有更高的信噪比和SIRt/p (74.18 vs 72.46；1.42 vs 1.30；与NRT2-3相比，p 2-3显示SIRt/p和SIRt/b升高(1.35 vs 1.31；2.73 vs 2.58；p 2-5的CNR、SIRt/p和SIRt/b均高于NRT2-3 (p 2-3在评估静脉侵犯方面优于NRT2-5 （AUC: 0.732 vs 0.597, p = 0.021）。SRR改善静脉评估(AUC: NRT2-3, 0.927 vs 0.732；NRT2-5, 0.823 vs 0.597；p 2-5与NRT2-3在静脉评估中的疗效相当（AUC: 0.823 vs 0.732, p = 0.162）。结论：T2WI和SRR可有效提高PDAC静脉侵犯的图像质量和诊断效果。带SRR的厚层T2WI是薄层T2WI的潜在替代方案。关键相关性声明：薄层T2-WI和SRR均有效提高了图像质量和诊断性能，为优化PDAC术前血管评估提供了有价值的选择。无创和准确的血管入侵评估支持治疗计划，避免无效的手术。血管侵犯评估对PDAC的手术资格至关重要。SRR改善了T2WI图像质量和血管评估。薄层T2WI和SRR对PDAC的临床决策有帮助。
期刊介绍：
Insights into Imaging (I³) is a peer-reviewed open access journal published under the brand SpringerOpen. All content published in the journal is freely available online to anyone, anywhere!
I³ continuously updates scientific knowledge and progress in best-practice standards in radiology through the publication of original articles and state-of-the-art reviews and opinions, along with recommendations and statements from the leading radiological societies in Europe.
Founded by the European Society of Radiology (ESR), I³ creates a platform for educational material, guidelines and recommendations, and a forum for topics of controversy.
A balanced combination of review articles, original papers, short communications from European radiological congresses and information on society matters makes I³ an indispensable source for current information in this field.
I³ is owned by the ESR, however authors retain copyright to their article according to the Creative Commons Attribution License (see Copyright and License Agreement). All articles can be read, redistributed and reused for free, as long as the author of the original work is cited properly.
The open access fees (article-processing charges) for this journal are kindly sponsored by ESR for all Members.
The journal went open access in 2012, which means that all articles published since then are freely available online.
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