High spatial resolution 3D MR cholangiography with high sampling efficiency technique (SPACE): Comparison of 3 T vs. 1.5 T

PurposeThe aim of this study was to evaluate image quality of 3D MR cholangiography (MRC) using high sampling efficiency technique (SPACE) at 3 T compared with 1.5 T.Methods and materialsAn IRB approved prospective study was performed with 17 healthy volunteers using both 3 and 1.5 T MR scanners. MRC images were obtained with free-breathing navigator-triggered 3D T2-weighted turbo spin-echo sequence with SPACE (TR, >2700 ms; TE, 780 ms at 3 T and 801 ms at 1.5 T; echo-train length, 121; voxel size, 1.1 mm × 1.0 mm × 0.84 mm). The common bile duct (CBD) to liver contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) were compared between 3 and 1.5 T. A five-point scale was used to compare overall image quality and visualization of the third branches of bile duct (B2, B6, and B8). The depiction of cystic duct insertion and the highest order of bile duct visible were also compared. The results were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test.ResultsCNR between the CBD and liver was significantly higher at 3 T than 1.5 T (p = 0.0006). MRC at 3 T showed a significantly higher overall image quality (p = 0.0215) and clearer visualization of B2 (p = 0.0183) and B6 (p = 0.0106) than at 1.5 T. In all analyses of duct visibility, 3 T showed higher scores than 1.5 T.Conclusion3 T MRC using SPACE offered better image quality than 1.5 T. SPACE technique facilitated high-resolution 3D MRC with excellent image quality at 3 T.