Diffusion-weighted whole-body MRI with background body signal suppression: technical improvements at 3.0 T.

PURPOSE: To improve image quality of diffusion-weighted body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with background body signal suppression (DWIBS) at 3.0 T. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 30 patients and eight volunteers, a diffusion-weighted spin-echo echo-planar imaging sequence with short TI inversion recovery (STIR) fat suppression was applied and repeated using slice-selective gradient reversal (SSGR) and/or dual-source parallel radiofrequency (RF) transmission (TX). The quality of diffusion-weighted images and gray scale inverted maximum intensity projections (MIP) were visually assessed by intraindividual comparison with respect to the level of fat suppression and signal homogeneity. Moreover, the contrast between lesions/lymph nodes and background (C(lb)) was analyzed in the MIP reconstructions. RESULTS: By combining STIR with SSGR, fat suppression was significantly improved (P < 0.001) and C(lb) was increased two times. The use of TX allowed the reduction of acquisition time and improved image quality with regard to signal homogeneity (P < 0.001) and fat suppression (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: DWIBS at 3.0 T can be improved by using SSGR and TX.