Modified Reduced Field-of-View Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Prostate: Comparison with Reduced Field-of-View Imaging and Single Shot Echo-Planar Imaging

Objective The objective of this study was to compare the image quality and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with modified reduced field of view (FOV) based on 2-dimensional (2D)-selective radiofrequency excitations by tilting the excitation plane in prostate with reduced FOV using parallel-transmit-accelerated 2D-selective radiofrequency excitation and single-shot echo planar imaging (ssEPI). Methods Fifty patients who underwent multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging including 3 DWIs were included. Two observers independently performed qualitative image analyses using 5-point scale. Apparent diffusion coefficient measurements were performed for quantitative analysis. Results Modified reduced FOV provided the highest qualitative scores for all categories compared with reduced FOV and ssEPI (P < 0.000). Both reduced FOV DWIs showed higher ADC values compared with ssEPI (P < 0.001); however, the ADC ratios between the lesion and peripheral zone were not significantly different (all P > 0.05). Conclusions The modified reduced FOV DWI showed better overall image quality, differentiability of anatomic regions, and lesion conspicuity with fewer artifacts compared with DWI with reduced FOV and ssEPI.