Stimulated-echo diffusion-weighted imaging with moderate b values for the detection of prostate cancer

ConclusionSTE DWI has the potential to provide high-SNR, high-CNR imaging of prostate cancer while also enabling reliable ADC mapping.Key Points•Quantitative analysis showed that STE DWI at b  = 800 s/mm2is able to achieve simultaneously high CNR, high SNR, and reliable ADC mapping, compared to SE b  = 800 s/mm2and SE b  = 1500 s/mm2.•Qualitative assessment by three readers showed that STE DWI at b  = 800 s/mm2has significantly higher SNR than SE b  = 1500 s/mm2. No preference between SE b  = 1500 s/mm2and STE b  = 800 s/mm2was determined in terms of CNR with no missed lesions were found in both acquisitions.•A single STE DWI acquisition at moderate b value (800 –1000 s/mm2) may provide sufficient image quality and quantitative reliability for prostate cancer imaging within a shorter scan time, in place of two DWI acquisitions (one with moderate b value and one with high b value).
Source: European Radiology - Category: Radiology Source Type: research