Studies on utility of MR T2-weighted images using multishot echo-planar imaging for hepatic mass lesions

MR T2-weighted images using multishot echo-planar imaging (EPI) and fast spin-echo (FSE) sequences were obtained in 22 patients with hepatic masses. Multishot EPI sequences included eight-shot breath-hold EPI and 16-shot EPI without breath-hold, while FSE sequences included nonfat-suppressed respiratory-triggered FSE, fat-suppressed respiratory-triggered FSE, and nonfat-suppressed breath-hold FSE. Signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio and artifacts were compared between EPI and FSE images of 47 hepatic masses. In evaluating solid tumors, EPI provided image quality equal or superior to that of FSE, whereas in the evaluation of nonsolid tumors FSE showed better image quality than EPI. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that in the evaluation of hepatic solid tumors T2-weighted eight-shot breath-hold EPI can replace both nonfat-suppressed respiratory-triggered FSE and breath-hold FSE, and it was suggested that eight-shot breath-hold EPI can replace fat-suppressed respiratory-triggered FSE to reduce patient discomfort and increase examination throughput.