Pelvic imaging using a T1W fat-suppressed three-dimensional dual echo dixon technique at 3T

Purpose: To compared two T1-weighted (T1W) fat-suppressed sequences for 3D breath-hold pre- and postcontrast fat-suppressed T1W imaging of the female pelvis at 3T. Materials and Methods: Pelvic MRI scans of 16 female patients were retrospectively-identified who were scanned 1 with two 3D breath-hold sequences: 1) a fast spoiled gradient echo sequence with spectral inversion at lipids (SPECIAL) (called 3D FSPGR), and, 2) a dual-echo, two-point Dixon (DE Dixon) sequcnce Contrast between soft tissue and fat, soft tissue and fluid, and fluid was measured on pre- and postcontrast images. Additionally, two readers subjectively scored the images for degree and homogeneity of fat suppression plus presence and severity of artifacts. Results: Contrast between muscle and myometrium to fat was improved with the Dixon technique (0.61 vs. 0.09 and 0.7 vs. 0.3, respectively, P < 0.001). Both readers agreed that fat suppression was stronger with the Dixon sequence (P < 0.001 and P = 0.06). Artifacts were equivalent (P = 1 0.53 and 0.65). Conclusion: The 3D DE Dixon sequence achieved stronger fat suppression in the female pelvis when compared to a 3D FSPGR sequence with SPECIAL.