Purpose: We retrospectively compared the efficacy of 3-dimensional (3D) gradient-echo magnetic resonance T₁-weighted sequence using the iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation (IDEAL) technique with the efficacy of conventional 3D gradient-echo sequences for diagnosing ovarian masses at 3T.
Materials and Methods: In images of 32 women (mean age, 45.3 years) with ovarian masses who underwent T₁-weighted imaging with both IDEAL and conventional techniques, we quantitatively analyzed signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast between gluteal muscle and T₁-weighted high-signal materials within lesions and assessed image quality. Two radiologists independently evaluated fat detection.
Results: Mean SNR of subcutaneous fat did not differ significantly between IDEAL and conventional techniques for both fat-suppressed (P=.32) and non-fat-suppressed (P=.85) images. Mean absolute contrast between gluteal muscle and T₁-weighted high signal materials within teratomas (n=15) was significantly higher with IDEAL on fat-suppressed images (P=.002) and lower with IDEAL on non-fat-suppressed images (P=.010). Fat suppression was significantly superior with IDEAL (P<.0001). Readers' assessments of fat detection did not differ between IDEAL and conventional sequences.
Conclusion: The quality of T₁-weighted fat-suppressed images of ovarian masses was better with 3D gradient-echo IDEAL than conventional 3D gradient-echo sequences.