Impact of uterine displacement on T-weighted image quality in the female pelvic MRI.

Despite the importance of T-weighted image in clinical practice, artifacts can significantly degrade image quality and affect diagnosis. This study quantitatively analyzed uterine displacement and surveyed the relationship between the image quality of fast-spin-echo-T-weighted image of the female pelvis and quantitative value of uterine displacement. Overall, 147 women (mean age, 46.

[Evaluation of the Latest Motion Correction Techniques in Periodically Rotated Overlapping ParallEL Lines with Enhanced Reconstruction (PROPELLER) Imaging across Different Vendors].

Purpose: To evaluate the robustness of the latest periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (PROPELLER) technology from each vendor against head movements and to investigate their characteristics for effective clinical use.

Methods: Using a phantom simulating the T2-weighted image of the human brain, images were acquired with devices from CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS (Tochigi, Japan; hereinafter "Canon"), GE HealthCare (Chicago, IL, USA; hereinafter "GE"), Philips (Amsterdam, Netherlands), and Siemens Healthineers (Forchheim, Germany; hereinafter "SIEMENS"). The head motion patterns were divided into rotation angle dependency (single rotation and multiple rotations) and rotation frequency dependency and evaluated using structural similarity (SSIM).

The time threshold to reperfusion for DWI reversal in acute ischemic stroke depends on pre-interventional ADC value.

Purpose: The aims of this study are to explore the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)-dependent thresholds for time to reperfusion in reversible lesions following mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke, and to investigate the associated risks of hemorrhagic transformation.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective case-control study, enrolling patients with large-vessel occlusion who underwent mechanical thrombectomy in Otaru General Hospital from 2016 to 2021. Reversible lesions were identified using volumetric ADC data, and the mean time from image to reperfusion (TIR) in each ADC range was compared between groups with and without reversible lesions, as well as those with and without parenchymal hematoma.

The montage method improves the classification of suspected acute ischemic stroke using the convolution neural network and brain MRI.

This study investigated the usefulness of the montage method that combines four different magnetic resonance images into one images for automatic acute ischemic stroke (AIS) diagnosis with deep learning method. The montage image was consisted from diffusion weighted image (DWI), fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), arterial spin labeling (ASL), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ASL). The montage method was compared with pseudo color map (pCM) which was consisted from FLAIR, ASL and ADC.

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography using T2 preparation pulse: quantitative and qualitative analyses.

Background: Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) may exhibit ghosting and blurring artifacts due to irregular breathing cycles, which can be overcome by shortening the shot duration. T2 preparation pulse enables heavy T2 contrast even with a shorter TE by use of the shortened shot duration; therefore, a technique using T2 preparation pulse combined with 3D turbo spin-echo MRCP (TPT-MRCP) was constructed.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of TPT-MRCP in both navigation and breath-hold sequences compared to the conventional method.

Predicting Mechanical Thrombectomy Outcome and Time Limit through ADC Value Analysis: A Comprehensive Clinical and Simulation Study Using Machine Learning.

Predicting outcomes after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) remains challenging for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This study aimed to explore the usefulness of machine learning (ML) methods using detailed apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) analysis to predict patient outcomes and simulate the time limit for MT in AIS. A total of 75 consecutive patients with AIS with complete reperfusion in MT were included; 20% were separated to test data.

The Prediction of Neurological Prognosis for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging.

Objective: Although cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) can be easily diagnosed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), prediction of surgical effect using preoperative radiological examinations remains difficult. In previous studies, it was reported that diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) may be used for the prediction of surgical effect; however, these studies did not consider the influences of spinal cord compression even though the values of DTI indexes can be distorted by compressive lesions in patients with CSM. Therefore, it is uncertain whether preoperative DTI indexes can actually predict the surgical effect.

Simultaneous depiction of clot and MRA using 1 min phase contrast angiography in acute ischemic patients.

[Background and Purpose] Clot location and range predict clinical outcomes for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We developed a new technique for visualizing occlusion clots, namely, the DEpicting blood clot and MRA using Phase contrast angiography with Image Calculation for Thrombectomy (DEPICT) method. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical usefulness of DEPICT.

Increased muscle fiber fractional anisotropy value using diffusion tensor imaging after compression without fiber injury.

Background: Recent studies have indicated that injuries such as muscle tears modify the microstructural integrity of muscle, leading to substantial alterations in measured diffusion parameters. Therefore, the fractional anisotropy (FA) value decreases. However, we hypothesized that soft tissue, such as muscle tissue, undergoes reversible changes under conditions of compression without fiber injury.

Construction of super-rapid brain MRA using oblique transverse acquisition phase contrast angiography with tilted optimized non-saturated excitation pulse.

[Background] Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is one of the most important sequences to estimate a cerebrovascular disease. We often encounter poor image quality due to slow arterial flow related to aging and motion artifact caused by disturbance of consciousness. We focused on phase contrast angiography (PCA) to overcome these difficulties.

Decreased Value of Highly Accurate Fractional Anisotropy Using 3-Tesla ZOOM Diffusion Tensor Imaging After Decompressive Surgery in Patients with Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Aligned Fibers Effect.

Background: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is widely used; however, most of the prior studies have resulted in presurgical decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) values in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). We used ZOOM DTI and could acquire highly accurate FA values during perioperative periods, which indicated different insights than preceding studies. The objective of this study was to assess the perioperative FA change in patients with CSM and determine the prognostic factor.

The Reliability of Reduced Field-of-view DTI for Highly Accurate Quantitative Assessment of Cervical Spinal Cord Tracts.

Purpose: To compare the accuracy of fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values between reduced FOV or so-called zonally oblique multislice (ZOOM) and conventional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in the cervical spinal cord.

Methods: Both ZOOM and conventional DTI were performed on 10 healthy volunteers. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate the reliability of the measurements obtained.

[Basic evaluation of the optimal flip angle for hepatocyte phase with gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pantaacetic acid: selection of the optimal flip angle by the imaging findings].

Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pantaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) is incorporated into liver cells, and liver parenchyma show hyperintensity due to the T1 shortening effect. The T1 value of liver parenchyma in the hepatocyte phase changes from the pre-contrast phase. However, in patients with liver dysfunction, the difference of T1 value is generally small.