Clinical validity of non-contrast-enhanced VI-RADS: prospective study using 3-T MRI with high-gradient magnetic field

OBJECTIVES: To develop a modified Vesical Imaging Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) without dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging (DCEI), termed “non-contrast-enhanced VI-RADS (NCE-VI-RADS)”, and to assess the additive impact of denoising deep learning reconstruction (dDLR) on NCE-VI-RADS. METHODS: From January 2019 through December 2020, 163 participants who underwent high-gradient 3-T MRI of the bladder were prospectively enrolled. In total, 108 participants with pathologically confirmed bladder cancer by transurethral resection were analyzed. Tumors were evaluated based on VI-RADS (scores 1–5) by two readers independently: an experienced radiologist (reader 1) and a senior radiology resident (reader 2). Conventional VI-RADS assessment included all three imaging types (T2-weighted imaging [T2WI], diffusion-weighted imaging [DWI], and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging [DCEI]). Also evaluated were NCE-VI-RADS comprising only non-contrast-enhanced imaging types (T2WI and DWI), and “NCE-VI-RADS with dDLR” comprising T2WI processed with dDLR and DWI. All systems were assessed using receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis and simple and/or weighted κ statistics. RESULTS: Muscle invasion was identified in 23/108 participants (21%). Area under the curve (AUC) values for diagnosing muscle invasion were as follows: conventional VI-RADS, 0.94 and 0.91; NCE-VI-RADS, 0.93 and 0.91; and “NCE-VI-RADS with dDLR”, 0.96 and 0.93, for readers 1 and 2, respectively. Simple κ statistics indicated substantial agreement for NCE-VI-RADS and almost perfect agreement for conventional VI-RADS and “NCE-VI-RADS with dDLR” between the two readers. CONCLUSION: NCE-VI-RADS achieved predictive accuracy for muscle invasion comparable to that of conventional VI-RADS. Additional use of dDLR improved the diagnostic accuracy of NCE-VI-RADS. KEY POINTS: • Non-contrast-enhanced Vesical Imaging Reporting and Data System (NCE-VI-RADS) was developed to avoid risk related to gadolinium-based contrast agent administration. • NCE-VI-RADS had predictive accuracy for muscle invasion comparable to that of conventional VI-RADS. • The additional use of denoising deep learning reconstruction (dDLR) might further improve the diagnostic accuracy of NCE-VI-RADS. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00330-022-08813-4.