European Journal of Radiology最新文献

{"title":"Accuracy evaluation of an automatic landmarking method based on 3D segmented CT scans of full lower limbs with knee osteoarthritis","authors":"Clément Horteur ,&nbsp;Nolwenn Fougeron ,&nbsp;Benoît Gaulin ,&nbsp;Ysé Roch ,&nbsp;Marek Bucki ,&nbsp;Estelle Palluel ,&nbsp;Yohan Payan ,&nbsp;Antoine Perrier","doi":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112292","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112292","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In preoperative planning, a number of techniques for registration of anatomical landmarks on bones, or “bones landmarking”, have been developed for automatic measurement of lower limbs. However, the evaluation of these techniques is often neglected, reducing confidence in results and limiting clinical applications. We propose a protocol to evaluate landmarking techniques applied to thirty 3D images of osteoarthritic lower limbs. The protocol includes the evaluation of the ground truth based on manual landmarking performed by two experienced clinicians. Intra- and inter-operator variability were quantified. Automatic landmarking was evaluated using the same procedure and compared to manual landmarking by computing distances with bounding boxes including manual landmarks. The method was applied to 87 landmarks on the femur, tibia, fibula, and patella. For intra-operator variability, the mean median error was 2.0 mm, with a maximum of 42.1 mm. For inter-operator variability, errors ranged from 0.0 to 43.5 mm, with a mean median error of 2.3 mm across all landmarks. The mean median error between manual and automatic landmarking methods was 2.4 mm, with a range from 0.0 mm to 22.8 mm. Confidence intervals of automatic landmarking errors were consistent with intra- and inter-operator variability confidence intervals. Approximately 42 % of the automatic landmarks were inside their bounding boxes, with a mean distance of 1.4 mm from the box for landmarks on the outside. Results showed different errors depending on landmark location and coordinates. Intra- and inter-operator variability shed light on the difficulty of defining ground truth based on manual segmentation. This finding emphasizes the need for a rigorous evaluation protocol for landmarking validation, including the verification of statistical test hypotheses and population size influence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12063,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Radiology","volume":"191 ","pages":"Article 112292"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144611593","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the efficacy of 8Spheres microsphere combined with Iodine-125 seeds in the treatment of advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma presenting with hemoptysis: A retrospective study","authors":"Linhao Ran ,&nbsp;Huan Liang ,&nbsp;Jiangwei Chen ,&nbsp;Weichen Fu ,&nbsp;Dichun Yang ,&nbsp;Fan Li ,&nbsp;Li Jiang ,&nbsp;Ying Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112295","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112295","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Hemoptysis is a critical complication in advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of 8Spheres microspheres embolization combined with iodine-125 seed implantation for managing hemoptysis in patients with advanced LUSC.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A retrospective analysis was performed involving 45 patients diagnosed with advanced squamous cell carcinoma and experiencing hemoptysis. The primary endpoints included the control rate of hemoptysis within 24 h post-embolization, hemoptysis-free survival (HFS), and overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints comprised progression-free survival (PFS) and the occurrence of complications.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The technical success rate was 100 %. Within 24 h following the 8Spheres microspheres embolization, hemoptysis was completely resolved in 31 patients, while the remaining patients showed a reduction of over 70 % in hemoptysis volume. The median HFS, median OS, and median PFS of all patients were 16 months, 15 months, and 10 months, respectively. Patients who continued with immunotherapy after the procedure demonstrated significant improvements in median HFS, median OS, and median PFS (median HFS: not reached vs. 10 months, P = 0.008; median OS: 16 months vs. 11 months, P &lt; 0.001; median PFS: 12 months vs. 7 months, P = 0.003). The use of preoperative bronchial artery CTA imaging was shown to significantly decrease operative time (42.69 ± 8.49 vs. 64.81 ± 7.55, P &lt; 0.05). Postoperative adverse reactions were mild and subsided with symptomatic treatment.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The combination of 8Spheres microspheres embolization and iodine-125 seed implantation is an effective and safe approach for managing hemoptysis in advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma, representing a promising therapeutic option for affected patients. Furthermore, preoperative CTA examination can significantly shorten operative time, while ongoing immunotherapy may help delay tumor progression.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12063,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Radiology","volume":"191 ","pages":"Article 112295"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144587632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cross-sectional imaging of congenital and acquired hepatic vascular abnormalities","authors":"Cesare Maino ,&nbsp;Federica Vernuccio ,&nbsp;Roberto Cannella ,&nbsp;Marco Gatti ,&nbsp;Paolo Niccolò Franco ,&nbsp;Ambra Santonocito ,&nbsp;Giuseppe Di Giovanni ,&nbsp;Riccardo Faletti ,&nbsp;Davide Ippolito ,&nbsp;Riccardo Inchingolo","doi":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112286","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112286","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cross-sectional imaging plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of both congenital and acquired hepatic vascular abnormalities. Congenital vascular anomalies, such as arteriovenous malformations, portal vein and hepatic vein anomalies, often present with nonspecific symptoms and require precise imaging for accurate assessment. Acquired hepatic vascular conditions, including cirrhosis-related vascular changes, portal hypertension, and vascular lesions, can lead to clinical complications and may necessitate timely intervention. Cross-sectional imaging techniques like computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging offer detailed visualization of these abnormalities, aiding in the detection, characterization, and monitoring of disease progression. The integration of dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging techniques further enhances the ability to evaluate blood flow, vessel architecture, and the impact of vascular abnormalities on liver function. Early and accurate detection of both congenital and acquired hepatic vascular abnormalities through cross-sectional imaging is vital for optimizing patient outcomes, guiding therapeutic strategies, and preventing further complications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12063,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Radiology","volume":"191 ","pages":"Article 112286"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144632234","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comment on the diagnostic impact of BPE in contrast-enhanced mammography: is BPE in CEM really that problematic?","authors":"Deniz Esin Tekcan Sanli","doi":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112291","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112291","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12063,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Radiology","volume":"191 ","pages":"Article 112291"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144587815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The influence of anatomical shape variations of wrist bones on bone orientation values in CT scans","authors":"Maranda Haenen ,&nbsp;Stefan Hummelink ,&nbsp;Eline Karstanje ,&nbsp;Ioannis Sechopoulos ,&nbsp;Brigitte van der Heijden","doi":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112298","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112298","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Four-Dimensional Computed Tomography (4DCT) shows promise in diagnosing scapholunate ligament (SL) lesions. Wrist motion analysis requires local coordinate systems (LCS) for carpal bones, which might be affected by bone shape variations. These variations can affect the extraction of scapholunate angle (SLA) and capitolunate angle (CLA), indicative for SL lesions. This study characterizes the impact of anatomical shape variations on LCS determination and subsequent SLA and CLA estimates.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A statistical shape model (SSM) was created for the scaphoid, lunate, and capitate using CT scans from a 4DCT dataset. The quality of the SSM was assessed using a leave-one-out approach by calculating the root mean squared error (RMSE). Subsequently, LCSs per bone were assigned to the SSM while 3000 shape variations were introduced. The rotational deviation of the LCSs was calculated by a combined rotation around the three axes. Finally, the SLAs and CLAs were calculated.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The SSM was created using 106 scans with an RMSE of 0.38 mm. The 95th percentile of the rotational deviations of the LCSs was below 5°. The resulting range due to anatomical variations in the calculation of the SLA and CLA was 5.7°and 6.8°, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Bone shape variations have a minimal influence on the determination of LCSs and consequently on the resulting SLA and CLA estimates. Based on the naturally occurring variability of carpal angles found in literature, the ranges in the variation of the SLA and CLA are probably not clinically relevant but should be taken into account when performing inter-subject comparisons.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12063,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Radiology","volume":"191 ","pages":"Article 112298"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144604249","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations between the meniscal spatial-specific signal indexes of T2-weighted images and the presence of radiographic knee osteoarthritis","authors":"Yuqian Zhang ,&nbsp;Kaida Bo ,&nbsp;Tingmiao Wu ,&nbsp;Xiaohu Li ,&nbsp;Jun Chang ,&nbsp;Changqing Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112294","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112294","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Rationale and objective</h3><div>Volume and signal intensity of meniscus in T2-weighted images are typical manifestations of meniscal injuries, which are risk factors for the presence of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (RKOA). The objective of this study was to predict the presence of RKOA by proposing six meniscal spatial-specific signal (MSS) indexes.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and methods</h3><div>Ninety subjects with symptomatic KOA were divided into non-RKOA and RKOA groups with a cut-off of Kellgren and Lawrence grade <span><math><mo>≥</mo></math></span>2. Lateral and medial menisci were automatically segmented, and meniscus pixels were categorized into three classes based on signal intensity to yield six MSS indexes, e.g., M-MSS-C<em>i</em> denoting the MSS indexes with the <em>i</em>th class for the medial meniscus. Reproducibility of the MSS indexes, and their relationships with knee cartilage volume and WOMAC were evaluated by linear regression analysis. Among the six MSS indexes and their combinations, the best index for predicting the presence of RKOA was identified using the area under the curve (AUC).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The MSS indexes by the automatic segmentation demonstrated high reproducibility with the manual segmentation. The medial MSS indexes were different across the two groups (<span><math><mrow><mi>P</mi><mo>&lt;</mo><mn>0.05</mn></mrow></math></span>), and the RKOA group showed lower M-MSS-C1, higher M-MSS-C2 and M-MSS-C3. In addition, M-MSS-C1 and M-MSS-C3 were correlated with knee cartilage volume, and M-MSS-C1 and M-MSS-C2 were correlated with WOMAC (<span><math><mrow><mi>P</mi><mo>&lt;</mo><mn>0.05</mn></mrow></math></span>). The M-MSS (combination of three medial MSS indexes) outperformed all other indexes with an AUC of 0.84 for predicting the presence of RKOA.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The medial MSS indexes are more associated with the presence of RKOA, and the M-MSS, as a combination of three medial MSS indexes, demonstrates its effectiveness in predicting the presence of RKOA.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12063,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Radiology","volume":"191 ","pages":"Article 112294"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144614760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The radiology of happiness","authors":"Fausto Labruto","doi":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112288","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112288","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Happiness is a vital yet often overlooked component of high-quality, sustainable radiology practice. Decades ago, Bhutan introduced the concept of “Gross National Happiness,” emphasizing that true progress transcends economic output and must also nurture well-being. This principle is equally relevant in healthcare. Traditional measures of radiology performance focus heavily on productivity, diagnostic speed, and cost efficiency, neglecting the happiness of radiologists themselves. However, radiologist well-being directly impacts attention, engagement, and resilience, thereby reducing errors and enhancing patient safety. Today’s radiologists face intense pressures, including increasing workloads, staffing shortages, workflow disruptions, and extended hours—all significant drivers of stress and burnout. Addressing these issues demands more than resilience training; it requires structural changes such as balanced staffing, streamlined workflows, and careful integration of technologies like AI to avoid added complexities. Inclusive, respectful environments that foster belonging and professional growth are just as important, sustaining purpose and protecting against depersonalization. Monitoring happiness through indirect indicators like turnover or sick leave, or through direct, anonymous feedback, can highlight areas for meaningful change. Ultimately, investing in radiologists’ happiness is not merely an ethical responsibility—it is a strategic necessity. A culture that values well-being enhances quality, supports patient outcomes, and ensures long-term departmental viability. By recognizing happiness as a core indicator of success, radiology can follow Bhutan’s lesson: genuine advancement lies not only in what we achieve but also in how we care for the people who make that achievement possible.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12063,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Radiology","volume":"191 ","pages":"Article 112288"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144579628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of super-resolution deep learning-based reconstruction for hippocampal MRI: A volunteer and phantom study","authors":"Sentaro Takada ,&nbsp;Takeshi Nakaura ,&nbsp;Naofumi Yoshida ,&nbsp;Hiroyuki Uetani ,&nbsp;Kaori Shiraishi ,&nbsp;Naoki Kobayashi ,&nbsp;Kensei Matsuo ,&nbsp;Kosuke Morita ,&nbsp;Yasunori Nagayama ,&nbsp;Masafumi Kidoh ,&nbsp;Yuichi Yamashita ,&nbsp;Ryohei Takayanagi ,&nbsp;Toshinori Hirai","doi":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112289","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112289","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and Purpose</h3><div>To evaluate the effects of super-resolution deep learning-based reconstruction (SR-DLR) on thin-slice T2-weighted hippocampal MR image quality using 3 T MRI, in both human volunteers and phantoms.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><div>Thirteen healthy volunteers underwent hippocampal MRI at standard and high resolutions. Original (standard-resolution; StR) images were reconstructed with and without deep learning-based reconstruction (DLR) (Matrix = 320 × 320), and with SR-DLR (Matrix = 960 × 960). High-resolution (HR) images were also reconstructed with/without DLR (Matrix = 960 × 960). Contrast, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and septum slope were analyzed. Two radiologists evaluated the images for noise, contrast, artifacts, sharpness, and overall quality. Quantitative and qualitative results are reported as medians and interquartile ranges (IQR). Comparisons used the Wilcoxon signed-rank test with Holm correction. We also scanned an American College of Radiology (ACR) phantom to evaluate the ability of our SR-DLR approach to reduce artifacts induced by zero-padding interpolation (ZIP).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>SR-DLR exhibited contrast comparable to original images and significantly higher than HR-images. Its slope was comparable to that of HR images but was significantly steeper than that of StR images (p &lt; 0.01). Furthermore, the CNR of SR-DLR (10.53; IQR: 10.08, 11.69) was significantly superior to the StR-images without DLR (7.5; IQR: 6.4, 8.37), StR-images with DLR (8.73; IQR: 7.68, 9.0), HR-images without DLR (2.24; IQR: 1.43, 2.38), and HR-images with DLR (4.84; IQR: 2.99, 5.43) (p &lt; 0.05). In the phantom study, artifacts induced by ZIP were scarcely observed when using SR-DLR.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>SR-DLR for hippocampal MRI potentially improves image quality beyond that of actual HR-images while reducing acquisition time.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12063,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Radiology","volume":"191 ","pages":"Article 112289"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144579633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prospective comparison of brain tumor detection and characterization using post-contrast Dixon uT1RESS and MPRAGE at 3 Tesla","authors":"Adrienn Tóth ,&nbsp;Robert R. Edelman ,&nbsp;Muhammad Taha Hagar ,&nbsp;Dmitrij Kravchenko ,&nbsp;Milán Vecsey-Nagy ,&nbsp;James Ira Griggers ,&nbsp;Jonathan Eernisse ,&nbsp;Tilman Emrich ,&nbsp;M. Vittoria Spampinato ,&nbsp;Akos Varga-Szemes","doi":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112283","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112283","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>This study aimed to evaluate the image quality and lesion characterization with Dixon unbalanced T1 relaxation-enahnced steady-state (uT1RESS) in comparison to magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo (MPRAGE) pulse sequence for detecting brain tumors, focusing on its potential to improve diagnostic accuracy and enhance brain tumor assessment.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This single-center prospective study enrolled 20 patients (12 males, aged 35–83), with primary brain tumors and brain metastases. Both MPRAGE and Dixon uT1RESS were acquired at 3 T. Objective image quality was assessed by contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), tumor-to-brain contrast, and tumor volume. Subjective image quality was assessed by two independent readers focusing on lesion visibility, lesion margins, motion, and static artifacts. A side-by-side comparison assessed diagnostic performance regarding lesion detection, evaluation of internal structure and vascular or dural invasion.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Dixon uT1RESS had a reduced acquisition time (2 min 51 s vs. 4 min 52 s for MPRAGE) and showed significantly higher CNR and tumor-to-brain contrast compared to MPRAGE (p &lt; 0.001). Subjectively, both sequences showed similar overall image quality. Dixon uT1RESS achieved more conspicuous lesions with better-defined lesion margins (p &lt; 0.001), while MPRAGE performed better in evaluating internal lesion structure (p &lt; 0.05). Dixon uT1RESS was rated better for lesion detection, with three lesions additionally identified on this sequence. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to assess differences.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Dixon uT1RESS significantly improved tumor conspicuity and detection, particularly for small metastatic lesions. This new technique offers promising potential for enhancing clinical brain tumor imaging, though additional sequences may be necessary for comprehensive lesion characterization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12063,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Radiology","volume":"191 ","pages":"Article 112283"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144597445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deep learning CAIPIRINHA-accelerated 3D MRI of the knee cartilage at 7 Tesla","authors":"Adrian Alexander Marth ,&nbsp;Thomas Marth ,&nbsp;Georg Constantin Feuerriegel ,&nbsp;Constantin von Deuster ,&nbsp;Dominik Paul ,&nbsp;Marcel Dominik Nickel ,&nbsp;Daniel Nanz ,&nbsp;Reto Sutter","doi":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112287","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112287","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>To investigate the feasibility and degree of scan-time reduction that can be achieved by deep learning (DL)-reconstruction in 3D dual-echo steady-state (DESS) knee-cartilage imaging accelerated with CAIPIRINHA (controlled aliasing in parallel imaging results in higher acceleration) at 7 Tesla (T).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>35 knee joints of 18 volunteers were imaged using an isotropic fat-suppressed DL-reconstructed CAIPIRINHA-accelerated DESS sequence (CAIPIRINHA_DL) with an isotropic resolution of 0.25 mm. CAIPIRINHA_DL acquisitions were accelerated four-, six-, eight-, and twelve-fold (CAIPIRINHA_DL4-CAIPIRINHA_DL12), and compared to a state-of-the-art, fourfold accelerated GRAPPA (generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisitions) DESS acquisition (GRAPPA₄) with matched spatial resolution. Three readers rated image-quality criteria. Rating differences were characterized with Friedman’s analysis of variance. Inter-reader agreement was assessed for grading of incidental cartilage lesions.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>CAIPIRINHA_DL6 had the shortest acquisition time (4:04 min) among sequences whose images were rated in the best category, with no statistically significant difference (p &gt; 0.999) to GRAPPA₄ (5:53 min). The overall quality of CAIPIRINHA_DL8 and CAIPIRINHA_DL12 images was rated lower than GRAPPA₄ images, while artifacts were rated significantly more severe (p &lt; 0.001, each). Inter-reader agreement for cartilage lesion grading ranged from almost perfect for CAIPIRINHA_DL4 and GRAPPA₄ (κ = 0.90, each) to moderate for CAIPIRINHA_DL12 (κ = 0.52).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The quality of DL-reconstructed 3D DESS images acquired at 7 T with four- and six-fold CAIPIRINHA-based acceleration was equivalent to that of 3D-DESS images acquired with four-fold GRAPPA-based acceleration. These findings suggest the feasibility of DL-reconstructions for imaging of the knee cartilage at 7 T field strength.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12063,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Radiology","volume":"191 ","pages":"Article 112287"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144596869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}