Non-contrast-enhanced MR portography and hepatic venography with time-spatial labeling inversion pulses: Comparison of imaging with the short tau inversion recovery method and the chemical shift selective method

Purpose: To compare and evaluate images of non-contrast enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) portography and hepatic venography acquired with two different fat suppression methods, the chemical shift selective (CHESS) method and short tau inversion recovery (STIR) method. Materials and methods: Twenty-two healthy volunteers were examined using respiratory-triggered three-dimensional true steady-state free-precession with two time-spatial labeling inversion pulses. The CHESS or STIR methods were used for fat suppression. The relative signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were quantified, and the quality of visualization was scored. Results: Image acquisition was successfully conducted in all volunteers. The STIR method significantly improved the CNRs of MR portography and hepatic venography. The image quality scores of main portal vein and right portal vein were higher with the STIR method, but there were no significant differences. The image quality scores of right hepatic vein, middle hepatic vein, and left hepatic vein (LHV) were all higher, and the visualization of LHV was significantly better (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The STIR method contributes to further suppression of the background signal and improves visualization of the portal and hepatic veins. The results support using non-contrast-enhanced MR portography and hepatic venography in clinical practice.