Utility of Thin-slice Single-shot T2-weighted MR Imaging with Deep Learning Reconstruction as a Protocol for Evaluating Pancreatic Cystic Lesions

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the effects of industry-developed deep learning reconstruction with super resolution (DLR-SR) on single-shot turbo spin-echo (SshTSE) images with thickness of 2 mm with DLR (SshTSE^2mm) relative to those of images with a thickness of 5 mm with DLR (SSshTSE^5mm) in the patients with pancreatic cystic lesions.

Methods: Thirty consecutive patients who underwent abdominal MRI examinations because of pancreatic cystic lesions under observation between June 2024 and July 2024 were enrolled. We qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated the image qualities of SshTSE^2mm and SshTSE^5mm with and without DLR-SR.

Results: The SNRs of the pancreas, spleen, paraspinal muscle, peripancreatic fat, and pancreatic cystic lesions of SshTSE^2mm with and without DLR-SR did not decrease in compared to that of SshTSE^5mm with and without DLR-SR. There were no significant differences in contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) of the pancreas-to-cystic lesions and fat between 4 types of images. SshTSE^2mm with DLR-SR had the highest image quality related to pancreas edge sharpness, perceived coarseness pancreatic duct clarity, noise, artifacts, overall image quality, and diagnostic confidence of cystic lesions, followed by SshTSE^2mm without DLR-SR and SshTSE^5mm with and without DLR-SR (P  <  0.0001).

Conclusions: SshTSE^2mm with DLR-SR images had better quality than the other images and did not have decreased SNRs and CNRs. The thin-slice SshTSE with DLR-SR may be feasible and clinically useful for the evaluation of patients with pancreatic cystic lesions.