Table 3.
Comparisons of image quality scores among standard, DL, and HR-DL CAIPIRINHA-VIBE on precontrast and HBP images
| Image quality parameter | Precontrast image | HBP image | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard CAIPIRINHA-VIBE | DL CAIPIRINHA-VIBE | Difference† | p value | Standard CAIPIRINHA-VIBE | DL CAIPIRINHA-VIBE | HR-DL CAIPIRINHA-VIBE | Difference (DL vs standard)† |
p value | Difference (HR-DL vs standard)†† |
p value | Difference (HR-DL vs DL)††† |
p value | |
| Liver edge sharpness | 2.71 ± 0.27 (2–4) | 3.22 ± 0.25 (1–4) | 0.51 (0.46, 0.56) | < 0.001 | 2.85 ± 0.28 (2–4) | 3.35 ± 0.22 (1–4) | 3.36 ± 0.28 (2–4) | 0.51 (0.46, 0.56) | < 0.001 | 0.51 (0.46, 0.56) | < 0.001 | 0.00 (− 0.04, 0.04) | 0.026 |
| Hepatic vessel conspicuity | 2.74 ± 0.34 (2–4) | 3.10 ± 0.35 (2–4) | 0.36 (0.31, 0.41) | < 0.001 | 2.96 ± 0.33 (1–4) | 3.33 ± 0.32 (1–4) | 3.42 ± 0.32 (1–4) | 0.37 (0.33, 0.41) | < 0.001 | 0.46 (0.42, 0.50) | < 0.001 | 0.09 (0.05, 0.13) | < 0.001 |
| Bile duct conspicuity | … | … | … | … | 3.02 ± 0.34 (1–4) | 3.46 ± 0.29 (1–4) | 3.41 ± 0.35 (1–4) | 0.44 (0.39, 0.49) | < 0.001 | 0.40 (0.36, 0.44) | < 0.001 | − 0.04 (− 0.08, 0.00) | 0.968 |
| Respiratory motion artifact | 3.00 ± 0.36 (1–4) | 3.14 ± 0.29 (1–4) | 0.14 (0.08, 0.20) | < 0.001 | 3.08 ± 0.32 (1–4) | 3.28 ± 0.29 (1–4) | 3.28 ± 0.42 (1–4) | 0.20 (0.15, 0.25) | < 0.001 | 0.20 (0.14, 0.26) | < 0.001 | − 0.01 (− 0.06, 0.04) | 0.498 |
| Cardiac ghosting artifact | 2.85 ± 0.35 (1–4) | 3.23 ± 0.25 (2–4) | 0.39 (0.33, 0.45) | < 0.001 | 2.94 ± 0.36 (1–4) | 3.32 ± 0.27 (2–4) | 3.25 ± 0.34 (2–4) | 0.38 (0.32, 0.44) | < 0.001 | 0.31 (0.26, 0.36) | < 0.001 | − 0.07 (− 0.12, − 0.02) | 0.240 |
| Ringing artifact | 2.88 ± 0.29 (1–4) | 3.22 ± 0.26 (2–4) | 0.34 (0.29, 0.39) | < 0.001 | 2.98 ± 0.28 (1–4) | 3.31 ± 0.27 (1–4) | 3.32 ± 0.35 (1–4) | 0.33 (0.28, 0.38) | < 0.001 | 0.34 (0.29, 0.39) | < 0.001 | 0.01 (− 0.04, 0.06) | 0.080 |
| Perceived SNR | 2.67 ± 0.26 (2–4) | 2.93 ± 0.31 (2–4) | 0.27 (0.22, 0.32) | < 0.001 | 3.09 ± 0.34 (2–4) | 3.44 ± 0.34 (2–4) | 3.33 ± 0.46 (2–4) | 0.35 (0.30, 0.40) | < 0.001 | 0.24 (0.19, 0.29) | < 0.001 | − 0.11 (− 0.16, − 0.06) | 0.001 |
| Subjective noise level | 2.56 ± 0.34 (1–4) | 2.69 ± 0.36 (1–4) | 0.13 (0.07, 0.19) | < 0.001 | 2.82 ± 0.32 (1–4) | 3.09 ± 0.31 (2–4) | 3.12 ± 0.48 (1–4) | 0.27 (0.22, 0.32) | < 0.001 | 0.30 (0.24, 0.36) | < 0.001 | 0.03 (− 0.03, 0.09) | 0.148 |
| Synthetic appearance | 3.37 ± 0.15 (2–4) | 2.66 ± 0.30 (2–4) | − 0.71 (− 0.76, − 0.66) | < 0.001 | 3.37 ± 0.15 (2–4) | 3.08 ± 0.33 (2–4) | 3.36 ± 0.27 (2–4) | − 0.29 (− 0.34, − 0.24) | < 0.001 | − 0.01 (− 0.05, − 0.03) | 0.018 | 0.28 (0.23, 0.33) | < 0.001 |
| Overall artifact level | 2.66 ± 0.34 (1–4) | 2.90 ± 0.29 (1–4) | 0.24 (0.19, 0.29) | < 0.001 | 2.78 ± 0.30 (1–4) | 3.09 ± 0.30 (1–4) | 3.13 ± 0.44 (1–4) | 0.30 (0.25, 0.35) | < 0.001 | 0.34 (0.29, 0.39) | < 0.001 | 0.04 (− 0.01, 0.09) | 0.039 |
| Overall image quality | 2.65 ± 0.35 (1–4) | 2.83 ± 0.35 (1–4) | 0.18 (0.13, 0.23) | < 0.001 | 2.78 ± 0.30 (1–4) | 3.16 ± 0.37 (1–4) | 3.14 ± 0.48 (1–4) | 0.38 (0.33, 0.43) | < 0.001 | 0.37 (0.31, 0.43) | < 0.001 | − 0.01 (− 0.07, 0.05) | 0.747 |
Unless indicated otherwise, data are means ± standard deviations (ranges). Group comparisons were performed with the paired Wilcoxon signed-rank test
CAIPIRINHA controlled aliasing in parallel imaging results in higher acceleration, DL deep learning, HBP hepatobiliary phase, HR high resolution, SNR signal–noise ratio, VIBE volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination
†Data are differences in mean image quality scores between DL CAIPIRINHA-VIBE and standard CAIPIRINHA-VIBE, with 95% confidence intervals in parentheses
††Data are differences in mean image quality scores between HR-DL CAIPIRINHA-VIBE and standard CAIPIRINHA-VIBE, with 95% confidence intervals in parentheses
†††Data are differences in mean image quality scores between HR-DL CAIPIRINHA-VIBE and DL CAIPIRINHA-VIBE, with 95% confidence intervals in parentheses