Misaki Saito¹, Shuhei Shibukawa¹, Natsuo Konta¹, Takuya Hara², Takakiyo Nomura², Makoto Obara³, Isao Muro¹, and Tetsu Niwa^2
1radiological technology, Tokai university hospital, Isehara, Japan, ²Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan, ³Philips Japan, Tokyo, Japan

This study was conducted to optimize the enhanced Acceleration-Selective Arterial Spin Labeling (eAccASL) for non-gated hand MRA. The MRA images obtained using four acceleration encoding (AENC) were assessed by visual evaluation for arterial depiction and venous contamination. The blood flow velocity obtained by phase-contrast cine was compared with the visual evaluation. It was found that the smaller the AENC (i.e. stronger motion sensitize gradients), the higher venous contamination and higher arterial visualization. The tendency of high visual evaluation was found in subjects with fast blood flow. The AENC of 0.5 or 1.0 was optimized for non-gated MRA of the hand.

Petronella Samuels¹, Paul Scholtz², Judith Whittaker³, and Sally Candy^4
1Cape Universities Body Imaging Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, ²Department of Radiology, Morton & Partners Radiology, Cape Town, South Africa, ³Anatomical Pathology, Lancet Laboratories, Cape Town, South Africa, ⁴Division of Diagnostic Radiology, Groote Schuur Hospital and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
We present the MRI and histological findings in a case of Female Adnexal Tumour of Wolffian Origin (FATWO) / WAT (Wolffian Adnexal Tumour), a rare adnexal neoplasm. This mass, located in the right broad ligament demonstrated diffusely low signal intensity on both T2WI and T1WI, peripheral restriction on DWI, peripheral enhancement and central hypo-enhancement post Gadolinium. An awareness of this condition and its MRI findings will ensure that appropriate immunohistochemical staining is performed. The presence of restriction may be helpful in predicting tumour behaviour, surgical approach and postoperative management.

Yasuo Takatsu^1,2, Masafumi Nakamura³, Satoshi Kobayashi⁴, and Tosiaki Miyati^4
1Department of Radiological Technology, Faculty of Health and Welfare, Tokushima Bunri University, Sanuki-city, Japan, ²Department of System Control Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokushima Bunri University, Sanuki-city, Japan, ³Department of Radiology, Otsu City Hospital, Otsu, Japan, ⁴Division of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan

The hepatobiliary phase image using Gd–EOB–DTPA in the liver MRI is assessed by the quantitative liver–spleen contrast ratio (Q-LSC) , the cutoff value at which tumors can be easily determined is 1.5. However, Q-LSC is found unsuitable for cases of splenectomy and when there is splenic deposition of Gamna–Gandy bodies. Therefore, the quantitative liver-portal vein contrast ratio (Q-LPC) is useful instead of Q-LSC. The cutoff value of Q-LPC was at 1.462, the sensitivity and the specificity were higher than Q-LSC at the cutoff value. Q-LPC cutoff value can be used for hepatobiliary phase MR image evaluation.

Huijun Liao¹, Eduardo Jorge Uribe Coello¹, Wufan Zhao¹, Han Sam Jiang¹, and Alexander Lin^1
1Center for Clinical Spectroscopy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States

B0 homogeneity is important for clinical spectroscopy but is highly region dependent and time consuming.  Enlarging shim volume could be a quick and easy way to improve B0 homogeneity in the clinical practice of spectroscopy and the goal of this study is test if this method is beneficial.  We used different methods to measure the potential improvement in B0 homogeneity in different brain regions.  While our results showed that increasing shim volumes did not improve spectral linewidths or data quality, we demonstrate a robust method of measuring B0 homogeneity in clinical spectroscopy.

Helen Harvey^1
1MRI, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Advances in technology in MRI have allowed for the improved spatial resolution of small joints like the sternoclavicular joint (SCJ). We have shown that through the use of arthrography and MRI we can provide better visualisation of SCJ anatomy, disc tears and other pathologies. Helping to increase knowledge and greatly improve treatment and surgical planning options for the patient.
This presentation aims to understand the techniques for MRI arthrography of the SCJ, review anatomy demonstrated on SCJ arthrography and demonstrate common pathologies of the SCJ.

Brian Johnson¹, Jonathan Chia¹, Dave Hitt¹, Rob Lay¹, Tom Lowe¹, Michael Pawlak¹, John Penatzer¹, James Snicer¹, Marcie Stopchinski¹, Gregory Thomas¹, Kristen Williams¹, and Paul Worthington^1
1Philips Healthcare, Gainesville, FL, United States

Consistent high-quality magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine still remains challenging because of the inherent small anatomical structures and degradation of image quality due to motion artifacts1.  Motion artifacts can arise from several sources including swallowing, respiration, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pulsation, blood flow, and bulk patient movement.  MRI of the cervical spine is one the highest performed exams globally.  Here we present a complete cervical spine MRI protocol utilizing 2D and 3D radial k-space sampling techniques which are inherently motion insensitive to increase image quality.  

Daisuke Morimoto-Ishikawa^1,2, Tomoko Hyodo³, Shigeyoshi Saito², Yu Ueda⁴, Masato Ohmi², and Kazunari Ishii^3
1Radiology Center, Kindai University Hospital, Osaka-Sayama, Japan, ²Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan, ³Department of Radiology, Kindai University, Osaka-Sayama, Japan, ⁴Philips Japan, Tokyo, Japan

We investigated the single breath-hold three-dimensional (3D) Look-Locker (LL) sequence in nine different concentrations phantoms, which can be used to evaluate Crohn's disease (CD). Percentage errors between T₁ relaxation time obtained by varying inversion recovery pulse interval and recovery period in the LL sequence and T₁ relaxation time obtained by the Inversion Recovery sequence were calculated. With the combination of inversion recovery pulse interval of 7000ms and recovery period of 4000ms, the LL sequence can calculate T₁ relaxation time within 10% percentage errors in the fastest imaging time of 21 seconds.

Yuichi Suzuki¹, Tsuyoshi Ueyama¹, Takahiro Iwasaki¹, Jiro Sato¹, Hideyuki Iwanaga¹, and Osamu Abe^1
1Department of Radiology, THe University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

We investigated the effect of image quality deterioration and data shortage of DWI on automatic white matter bundle segmentation. We set the gold standard (GS) data without SMS and MPG = 64 axes. Two kinds of comparisons were made in comparison with GS data. The one was with/without the SMS, and the other eliminated some acquired data from GS. We analyze the data only from the first 8, 16, 32 and 48 axes of MPG in the GS. There was almost no difference between SMS of 2 and 3. For MPG, 16 axes provided results comparable to the GS.

Xin Dong^1,2, Arnold Ng^3,4, Sharon Watson⁵, Harish Sharma⁵, Graham Galloway^1,2,6, and Margot Lehman^5
1Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia, ²Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Australia, ³Cardiology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia, ⁴University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, ⁵Radiation Oncology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia, ⁶The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia

The usefulness of T1 and ECV mappings in the context of radiation cardiotoxicity has yet to be studied. In the current study, we conducted a longitudinal CMR study on 30 females with left-sided breast cancer before and after Deep Inspiration Breast Hold (DIBH) radiotherapy (RT). The results showed patients who were treated with DIBH RT had no CMR detectable functional or structural myocardial changes 6 months following RT treatment. This has important implications on the long-term cardiac health of the growing number of women who are surviving or living with breast cancer.

Toshiya Akatsu¹, Haruyuki Fukuchi^2,3,4, Kei Fukuzawa⁴, Nao Takano¹, Yutaka Ikenouchi³, Michimasa Suzuki³, Kohji Kamagata³, Akihiko Wada³, Osamu Abe², and Shigeki Aoki^3
1Department of Radiology, Juntendo University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, ²Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, ³Department of Radiology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan, ⁴Department of Radiology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

We implemented the new Variable TI method to multi-phase ASL 4D UTE-MRA in order to improve the visibility of hemodynamic flow. We performed a numerical simulation and a phantom study to find the optimized condition. It was found that a 50 % reduction of TI steps increases 50 % of signal from the flow volume without impairment of structural information.

Hannah Bergman¹, Alaine Berry¹, and Ben Statton^1
1MRC, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom

The dark blood late gadolinium enhancement technique has shown improved delineation of sub-endocardial infarcts by nulling both the blood pool and the normal myocardium. Optimal image quality and consistency depends on a number of factors, including gadolinium dose and the delay time before imaging. In this study we sought to determine whether gadolinium dose and delay time before imaging, affected the nulling of the blood pool and myocardium.

CHIKARA NODA¹, Chia Ying Liu², Jason Ortman¹, Bharath Venkatesh Ambale³, Webster Stayman⁴, Yoshimori Kassai⁵, and Joao A.C. Lima^1
1Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States, ²Canon Medical Research, Cleveland, OH, United States, ³Radiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States, ⁴Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States, ⁵Canon Medical Systems Corporation, Otawara, Japan

3D radial Ultrashort echo time sequence is a promising technique for lung imaging but the protocol has not been optimized. We examined the parameters including number of trajectories and flip angles using a lung phantom. In-vivo images were obtained and evaluated based on the parameters optimized in the phantom study. UTE acquisition in axial rather than coronal direction produced better quality of images. Breath holding acquisition may be an option in case patients cannot tolerate long scan time.

Hiroyuki Takashima^1,2, Rui Imamura¹, Tsuneo Takebayashi³, Yasuhisa Abe³, Izaya Ogon², Hiroshi Oguma³, Yoshihiro Akatsuka¹, and Toshihiko Yamashita^2
1Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Sapporo Medical University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan, ²Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan, ³Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Maruyama Orthopedic Hospital, Sapporo, Japan

The parameters of vertebral fracture (VF) and without fracture using intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) were analyzed. In addition, the usefulness of using IVIM for VF was investigated. The subjects of this study were 52 patients with VF in the acute phase. As a result, the ADC, D, and f of VF were significantly higher than without fracture. Meanwhile, the D* of VF were significantly lower than without fracture. In the future, new findings may be obtained by analyzing the IVIM parameters and VF prognosis.