Comparison of simultaneous multi-slice readout-segmented EPI and conventional single-shot EPI for diffusion tensor imaging of the ulnar nerve. Issue 10 (October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ho, Michael; Becker, Anton; Ulbrich, Erika; Manoliu, Andrei; Kuhn, Félix P.; Eberhard, Matthias; Filli, Lukas
• Is Part Of: Heliyon. Volume 4:Issue 10(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-10
• Subjects: Medical imaging -- Neuroscience -- Neurology; Research -- Periodicals; Medical sciences -- Periodicals; Natural history -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Periodicals; Physical sciences -- Periodicals; 507.2
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00853
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2405-8440

Abstract

Abstract: Purpose: To compare conventional single-shot echo planar imaging (ss-EPI) and simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) readout-segmented EPI (rs-EPI) for magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the ulnar nerve. Materials and methods: This study was approved by the local ethics committee. Ten healthy volunteers (mean age 30.4 ± 4.01 years; range 25–36 years) underwent 3T DTI of the ulnar nerve at the level of the cubital tunnel. DTI was performed based on ss-EPI as well as SMS rs-EPI sequences. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), image quality, and DTI parameters in the ulnar nerve (fractional anisotropy, FA; mean diffusivity, MD) were compared between the two sequences by two independent radiologists. Results: Acquisition time was 5:12 min for ss-EPI and 5:18 min for SMS rs-EPI. Between the two sequences, no significant differences were found for derived DTI measures FA (p = 0.11) and MD values (p = 0.93). Compared to conventional ss-EPI, SMS rs-EPI yielded significantly less ghosting artifacts (p = 0.04) but inferior nerve depiction (p = 0.001) and worse overall image quality (p = 0.008). Conclusion: SMS rs-EPI is not advantageous over ss-EPI in DTI of the ulnar nerve at the level of the cubital tunnel.