Balanced MR cholangiopancreatography with motion-sensitized driven-equilibrium (MSDE) preparation: Feasibility and optimization of imaging parameters

Purpose: To show the feasibility of motion-sensitized driven-equilibrium-balanced magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and to determine the optimal velocity encoding (VENC) value. Materials and methods: Sixteen healthy volunteers underwent MRI study using a 1.5-T clinical unit and a 32-channel body array coil. For each volunteer, images were obtained using the following seven respiratory-triggered sequences: (1) balanced magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography without motion-sensitized driven-equilibrium, and (2)-(7) balanced magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography with motion-sensitized driven-equilibrium, with VENC. =. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and ∞. cm/s for the x-, y-, and z-directions, respectively. Quantitative evaluation was obtained by measuring the maximum signal intensity of the common hepatic duct, portal vein, liver tissue including visible peripheral vessels, and liver tissue excluding visible peripheral vessels that were evaluated. We compared the contrast ratios of portal vein/common hepatic duct, liver tissue including visible peripheral vessels/common hepatic duct and liver tissue excluding visible peripheral vessels/common hepatic duct among the five finite sequences (VENC. =. 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. cm/s). Statistical comparisons were performed using the t-test for paired data with the Bonferroni correction. Results: Suppression of blood vessel signals was achieved with motion-sensitized driven-equilibrium sequences. We found the optimal VENC values to be either 3 or 5. cm/s with the best suppression of relative vessel signals to bile ducts. At a lower VENC value (1. cm/s), the bile duct signal was reduced, presumably due to minimal biliary flow. Conclusion: The feasibility of motion-sensitized driven-equilibrium-balanced magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography was suggested. The optimal VENC value was considered to be either 3 or 5. cm/s. The clinical usefulness of this new magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography sequence needs to be verified by further studies.