Comparison Between a Modified Fast 3-Dimensional Turbo Spin-Echo and Diffusion-Weighted Imaging With Background Suppression in Evaluation of Lumbosacral Plexus and Its Branches

Abstract

Objectives To compare the fast 3-dimensional NerveVIEW (3D NerveVIEW) with diffusion-weighted imaging with background suppression (DWIBS) in imaging of lumbosacral plexus and its branches. Methods A prospective study was performed on 30 healthy volunteers and patients who had undergone compressed sensing 3D NerveVIEW and DWIBS scans. There were 11 healthy subjects, 15 patients with lumbar disc herniation, and 4 patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. Image quality was rated using a 4-point subjective scale. Quantitative evaluation of the nerves was done by measuring signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, and signal-to-background ratio, and the consistency in the measurements of nerve root cross-sectional areas was also assessed. The differences of signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, signal-to-background ratio, and the scores of image quality between 2 sequences were compared. Results The overall average image quality score of 3D NerveVIEW was significantly higher than that of DWIBS (2.72 ± 0.45 and 2.45 ± 0.81, respectively; P < 0.01). In terms of individual nerves, there was no significant difference between the 2 sequences in the display of the nerves from L2 to S1; however, 3D NerveVIEW was significantly better than DWIBS in demonstration of the S2–S3 nerves, as well as the nerve details. Regarding quantitative measurements, these sequences achieved comparable results with excellent interobserver agreements. Conclusion Fast 3D NerveVIEW was superior to DWIBS with improved conspicuity of small distal nerves of S2–S3 and nerve details.