Feasibility of high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of the liver using deep learning reconstruction based on the deep learning denoising technique

PurposeTo evaluate the feasibility of High-resolution (HR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver using deep learning reconstruction (DLR) based on a deep learning denoising technique compared with standard-resolution (SR) imaging.Materials and methodsThis retrospective study included patients who underwent abdominal MRI including both HR imaging using DLR and SR imaging between April 1 and August 31, 2019. DLR was applied to all HR images using 12 different strength levels of noise reduction to determine the optimal denoised level for HR images. The mean signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was then compared between the original HR images without DLR and the optimal denoised HR images with DLR and SR images. The mean image noise, sharpness and overall image quality were also compared. Statistical analyses were performed with the Friedman and Dunn-Bonferroni post-hoc test.ResultsIn total, 49 patients were analyzed (median age, 71 years; 25 women). In quantitative analysis, the mean SNRs on the original HR images without DLR were significantly lower than those on the SR images in all sequences (p < 0.01). Conversely, the mean SNRs on optimal denoised HR images were significantly higher than those on the SR images in all sequences (p < 0.01). In the qualitative analysis, the mean scores for the image noise and overall image quality were significantly higher on optimal denoised HR images than on the SR images in all sequences (p < 0.01) except for the mean image noise score in in-phase (IP) images.ConclusionsThe use of a deep learning-based noise reduction technique substantially and successfully improved the SNR and image quality in HR imaging of the liver. Denoised HR imaging using the DLR technique appears feasible for use in liver MR examinations compared with SR imaging.