Improved Single Breath-Hold SSFSE Sequence for Liver MRI Based on Compressed Sensing: Evaluation of Image Quality Compared with Conventional T2-Weighted Sequences

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the image quality of compressed-sensing accelerated single-shot fast spin-echo (SSFSE(CS)) sequences acquired within a single breath-hold in comparison with conventional SSFSE (SSFSE(CONV)) and multishot TSE (mTSE). A total of 101 patients who underwent liver MRI at 3 T, including SSFSE(CONV) (acquisition time (TA) = 58–62 s), mTSE (TA = 108 s), and SSFSE(CS) (TA = 18 s), were included in this retrospective study. Two radiologists assessed the three sequences with respect to artifacts, organ sharpness, small structure visibility, overall image quality, and conspicuity of main lesions of liver and pancreas using a five-point evaluation scale system. Descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used for statistical analysis. SSFSE(CS) was significantly better than SSFSE(CONV) and mTSE for artifacts, small structure visibility, overall image quality, and conspicuity of main lesions (p < 0.005). Regarding organ sharpness, mTSE and SSFSE(CS) did not significantly differ (p = 0.554). Conspicuity of liver lesion did not significantly differ between SSFSE(CONV) and mTSE (p = 0.404). SSFSE(CS) showed superior image quality compared with SSFSE(CONV) and mTSE despite a more than three-fold reduction in TA, suggesting a remarkable potential for saving time in liver imaging.