Test–retest assessment of non-contrast MRI sequences to characterise and quantify the small bowel wall in healthy participants

Alyami, Ali S.; Williams, Hannah G.; Argyriou, Konstantinos; Gunn, David; Wilkinson-Smith, Victoria; White, Jonathan R.; Alyami, Jaber; Gowland, Penny A.; Moran, Gordon W.; Hoad, Caroline L.

Abstract

Objective: Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging sequences have been investigated as objective imaging biomarkers of fibrosis and inflammation in Crohn’s disease. Aim: To determine the repeatability and inter- and intra-observer agreement of these measures in the prepared small bowel wall. Methods: Ten healthy participants were scanned at 3T on 2 separate occasions using T1 and T2 relaxometry, IVIM-DWI and MT sequences. Test–retest repeatability was assessed using the coefficient of variation (CoV) and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to evaluate the intra- and inter-observer agreement Results: Test–retest repeatability in the bowel wall was excellent for apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), magnetisation transfer ratio (MTR), T1, and diffusion coefficient D (CoV 5%, 7%, 8%, and 10%, respectively), good for perfusion fraction (PF) (CoV 20%) and acceptable for T2 (CoV 21%). Inter-observer agreement was good for the T2, D and ADC (ICC = 0.89, 0.86, 0.76, respectively) and moderate for T1 (ICC = 0.55). Intra-observer agreement was similar to inter-observer agreement. Discussion: This study showed variable results between the different parameters measured. Test–retest repeatability was at least acceptable for all parameters except pseudo-diffusion coefficient D*. Good inter- and intra-observer agreement was obtained for T2, ADC and D, with these parameters performing best in this technical validation study.

Citation

Alyami, A. S., Williams, H. G., Argyriou, K., Gunn, D., Wilkinson-Smith, V., White, J. R., …Hoad, C. L. (2021). Test–retest assessment of non-contrast MRI sequences to characterise and quantify the small bowel wall in healthy participants. Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine, 34, 791-804. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-021-00931-2

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 18, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Jun 5, 2021
• Publication Date: Jun 5, 2021
• Deposit Date: Jun 7, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 9, 2021
• Journal: Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine
• Print ISSN: 0968-5243
• Electronic ISSN: 1352-8661
• Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 34
• Pages: 791-804
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-021-00931-2
• Keywords: Small intestine · Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging · Validation study
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5633634
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10334-021-00931-2