Table 1.
Comparison of the image quality scores between the dNAV and the iNAV T2-prepared bSSFP sequences
| Structure | Blurring from respiratory motion | Signal homogeneity in the blood pool | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dNAV | iNAV | dNAV | iNAV | |
| Aortic root (Reviewer 1) |
(25th percentile, 75th percentile) 4 (3, 4), p = 0.05* |
(25th percentile, 75th percentile) 4 (4, 4) |
(25th percentile, 75th percentile) 4 (3, 4), p = 0.29 |
(25th percentile, 75th percentile) 4 (3, 4) |
| Aortic root (Reviewer 2) | 3 (3, 4), p < 0.001* | 4 (4, 4) | 4 (3, 4), p = 0.8 | 4 (3, 4) |
| Aortic root (Reviewer 3) | 4 (3, 4), p = 0.15 | 4 (4, 4) | 4 (3, 4), p = 0.8 | 4 (4, 4) |
| Mid ascending aorta (Reviewer 1) | 4 (3, 4), p < 0.001* | 4 (4, 4) | 4 (3, 4), p = 0.12 | 4 (3, 4) |
| Mid ascending aorta (Reviewer 2) | 3 (3, 4), p < 0.001* | 4 (4, 4) | 4 (3, 4), p = 0.17 | 4 (4, 4) |
| Mid ascending aorta (Reviewer 3) | 4 (3, 4), p = 0.05* | 4 (4, 4) | 4 (4, 4), p = 0.14 | 4 (4, 4) |
| Mid aortic arch (Reviewer 1) | 4 (4, 4) p = 0.24 | 4 (4, 4) | 4 (4, 4), p = 0.06 | 4 (3, 4) |
| Mid aortic arch (Reviewer 2) | 4 (3, 4), p = 0.002* | 4 (4, 4) | 3.75 (4, 4), p = 1 | 4 (3, 4) |
| Mid aortic arch (Reviewer 3) | 4 (3, 4), p = 0.02* | 4(4,4) | 4(4, 4), p = 0.2 | 4 (4, 4) |
| Mid descending aorta (Reviewer 1) | 4 (4, 4), p = 1 | 4 (4, 4) | 4 (3, 4), p = 0.1 | 4 (3, 4) |
| Mid descending aorta (Reviewer 2) | 4 (4, 4), p = 0.1 | 4 (4, 4) | 4 (4, 4), p = 0.5 | 4 (4, 4) |
| Mid descending aorta (Reviewer 3) | 4 (4, 4), p = 0.1 | 4 (4, 4) | 4 (4, 4), p = 1 | 4 (4, 4) |
Comparison of the image quality scores with respect to blurring from respiratory motion and signal homogeneity in the blood pool for the three reviewers between the diaphragmatic navigator (dNAV) and the image based navigator (iNAV) T2-prepared balanced steady state free precession (bSSFP) sequences. The evaluation was performed at the level of the aortic root, mid ascending aorta, mid aortic arch and mid descending aorta. Asterisks (*) note the pairs with statistically significant difference in the image quality scores