Table 3.
Qualitative analysis results of the image quality from conv-DWI and L1-DWI in both patient groups. Mean scores of image quality parameters ± SD and range.
| Image quality parameter | Group A | Group B | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conv-DWI | L1-DWI | P-value | Conv-DWI | L1-DWI | P-value | ||
| Sharpness of liver contours | Mean, SD [Range] | 3.9 ± 0.8 [2–5] | 4.0 ± 0.8 [2–5] | 0.792 | 4.0 ± 0.7 [1–5] | 4.0 ± 0.6 [1.5–5] | 0.870 |
| Intrahepatic vessel delineation | Mean, SD [Range] | 3.8 ± 1.3 [1–5] | 3.5 ± 1.2 [1–5] | 0.106 | 3.6 ± 1.1 [1–5] | 3.5 ± 1.1 [1.5–5] | 0.079 |
| Signal homogeneity of liver parenchyma | Mean, SD [Range] | 3.9 ± 0.5 [3–4.5] | 4.0 ± 0.5 [2.5–5] | 0.157 | 3.8 ± 0.9 [1–5] | 3.8 ± 0.9 [1–5] | 1.000 |
| Conspicuity of FLLs | Mean, SD [Range] | 4.7 ± 0.6 [2.5–5] | 4.3 ± 0.9 [2–5] | 0.006* | 4.5 ± 0.7 [2.5–5] | 4.3 ± 0.9 [2–5] | 0.056 |
| Image noise | Mean, SD [Range] | 3.4 ± 0.6 [2–4.5] | 3.5 ± 0.7 [2–4.5] | 0.617 | 3.3 ± 0.6 [1.5–4.5] | 3.4 ± 0.7 [1.5–4.5] | 0.425 |
| Motion artifacts | Mean, SD [Range] | 4.8 ± 0.5 [2.5–5] | 4.8 ± 0.5 [2.5–5] | 0.317 | 4.68 ± 0.7 [2–5] | 4.7 ± 0.6 [2.5–5] | 0.926 |
conv-DWI Single-shot EPI-based DWI with parallel imaging reconstruction, L1-DWI Single-shot EPI-based DWI with L1-regularized iterative reconstruction, SD Standard deviation. Significant p-values are highlighted with an asterisk.
P-values are from Wilcoxon signed-rank test.