Second‐Order Motion‐Compensated Echo‐Planar Cardiac Diffusion‐Weighted MRI: Usefulness of Compressed Sensitivity Encoding

BackgroundCardiac diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) using second‐order motion‐compensated spin echo (M2C) can provide noninvasive in‐vivo microstructural assessment, but limited by relatively low signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR). Echo‐planar imaging (EPI) with compressed sensitivity encoding (EPICS) could address these issues.PurposeTo combine M2C DWI and EPCIS (M2C EPICS DWI), and compare image quality for M2C DWI.Study TypeProspective.PopulationTen ex‐vivo hearts, 10 healthy volunteers (females, 5 [50%]; mean ± SD of age, 25 ± 4 years), and 12 patients with diseased hearts (female, 1 [8.3%]; mean ± SD of age, 44 ± 16 years; including coronary artery heart disease, congenital heart disease, dilated cardiomyopathy, amyloidosis, and myocarditis).Field Strength/Sequence3‐T, M2C EPICS DWI, and M2C DWI.AssessmentThe apparent SNR (aSNR) and the rating scores were used to evaluate and compared image quality of all three groups. The aSNR was calculated using , and the myocardium was segmented manually. Three observers independently rated subjective image quality using a 5‐point Likert scale.Statistical TestsBland–Altman analysis and paired t‐tests. The threshold for statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.ResultsIn healthy volunteers, the aSNR with a b‐value of 450 s/mm2 acquired by M2C EPICS DWI was significantly higher than M2C DWI at in‐plane resolutions of 3.0 × 3.0, 2.5 × 2.5, and 2.0 × 2.0 mm2. In patients with diseased hearts, the aSNR ofM2C EPICS DWI was also significantly higher than that for M2C DWI (bias of M2C EPICS‐M2C = 1.999, 95% limits of agreement, 0.362 to 3.636; mean ± SD, 7.80 ± 1.37 vs. 5.80 ± 0.81). The ADC values of M2C EPICS was significantly higher than M2C DWI in in‐vivo hearts. Over 80% of the images with rating scores for M2C EPICS DWI were higher than M2C DWI in in‐vivo hearts.Data ConclusionCardiac imaging by M2C EPICS DWI may demonstrate better overall image quality and higher aSNR than M2C DWI.Evidence Level2Technical EfficacyStage 1