Background: In the application of APTw protocols for evaluating tumors and parotid glands, inhomogeneity and hyperintensity artifacts have remained an obstacle. This study aimed to improve APTw imaging quality and evaluate the feasibility of difference B1 values to detect parotid tumors. Methods: A total of 31 patients received three APTw sequences to acquire 32 lesions and 30 parotid glands (one patient had lesions on both sides). Patients received T2WI and 3D turbo-spin-echo (TSE) APTw imaging on a 3.0 T scanner for three sequences (B1 = 2 μT, 1 μT, and 0.7 μT in APTw 1, 2, and 3, respectively). APTw image quality was evaluated using four-point Likert scales in terms of integrity and hyperintensity artifacts. Image quality was compared between the three sequences. An evaluable group and a trustable group were obtained for APTmean value comparison. Results: Tumors in both APT2 and APT3 had fewer hyperintensity artifacts than in APT1. With B1 values decreasing, tumors had less integrity in APTw imaging. APTmean values of tumors were higher than parotid glands in traditional APT1 sequence though not significant, while the APTmean subtraction value was significantly different. Conclusions: Applying a lower B1 value could remove hyperintensity but could also compromise its integrity. Combing different APTw sequences might increase the feasibility of tumor detection.
背景：在应用酰胺质子转移加权成像（APTw）协议评估肿瘤与腮腺时，不均匀性与高信号伪影问题始终存在。本研究旨在提升APTw成像质量，并探讨采用不同B1值检测腮腺肿瘤的可行性。方法：共纳入31例患者，通过三种APTw序列扫描获得32个病灶及30个腮腺样本（其中1例患者双侧均存在病灶）。所有患者在3.0T扫描仪上接受T2加权成像及三维快速自旋回波APTw序列扫描，分别采用三种B1值参数（APTw序列1、2、3对应的B1值分别为2μT、1μT和0.7μT）。采用四点李克特量表从完整性与高信号伪影两个维度评估APTw图像质量，并对三种序列进行质量比较。通过筛选获得可评估组与可信赖组进行APT平均值比较。结果：相较于APTw序列1，序列2与序列3中肿瘤的高信号伪影显著减少。随着B1值降低，APTw成像中肿瘤的完整性呈现下降趋势。传统APTw序列1中肿瘤APT平均值虽高于腮腺但未达显著差异，而APT差值则呈现统计学显著差异。结论：采用较低B1值可有效消除高信号伪影，但会降低成像完整性。联合应用不同APTw序列可能提升肿瘤检测的可行性。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家