Effectiveness of a three-dimensional dual gradient echo two-point Dixon technique for the characterization of adrenal lesions at 3 Tesla

Abstract

Objective: To compare the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of fat-only datasets reconstructed using a two-point Dixon technique, with corresponding opposed-phase (OP) and in-phase (IP) datasets for characterization of adrenal lesions at 3 Tesla (T).

Methods: Fifty-nine patients (21 male, 38 female) with 66 adrenal lesions (49 adenomas, 17 nonadenomas) underwent 3D dual gradient-echo 3-T adrenal MR imaging with reconstruction of OP/IP and fat/water datasets. Sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy were compared between OP/IP datasets, using the signal intensity index (SII), and fat/water datasets, using the fat fraction and fat ratio. Four radiologists qualitatively assessed OP/IP and fat-only datasets for reader confidence in lesion characterization and image quality.

Results: There were significant differences between adenomas and nonadenomas with regard to mean SII, fat fraction, and fat ratio (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in mean diagnostic accuracy among different evaluation methods using OP/IP and fat/water datasets. Mean readers' scores for lesion characterization were significantly higher for adenomas than for nonadenomas using OP/IP and fat-only datasets. There was no significant difference between the two datasets regarding mean readers' scores for image quality.

Conclusion: Fat-only images can readily differentiate adrenal adenomas from nonadenomas, with diagnostic accuracy comparable to OP/IP images.