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Table 2 Comparison of the results of qualitative image quality scores for the three sequences

From: Feasibility study of simultaneous multislice diffusion kurtosis imaging with different acceleration factors in the liver

Criteria

C-DWI

SMS2-DWI

SMS3-DWI

P values

P values

P values

P values

C vs. SMS2

SMS2 vs. SMS3

C vs. SMS3

Sharpness of the right lobe

       

b = 800

4.88 ± 0.40

4.84 ± 0.46

4.64 ± 0.60

< 0.001

1.000

0.144

0.066

b = 2000

4.16 ± 0.99

4.10 ± 1.00

3.74 ± 1.03

< 0.001

1.000

0.002

0.001

Conspicuity of the left lobe

       

b = 800

4.63 ± 0.67

4.56 ± 0.71

4.40 ± 0.77

0.001

1.000

0.370

0.131

b = 2000

3.64 ± 1.13

3.45 ± 1.18

3.14 ± 1.05

< 0.001

0.268

0.008

< 0.001

Visibility of intrahepatic vessels

       

b = 800

4.93 ± 0.26

4.70 ± 0.54

4.46 ± 0.71

< 0.001

0.190

0.109

< 0.001

b = 2000

3.88 ± 1.04

3.68 ± 1.11

3.20 ± 1.14

< 0.001

0.246

< 0.001

< 0.001

Artefacts

       

b = 800

4.95 ± 0.22

4.69 ± 0.52

4.06 ± 0.75

< 0.001

0.207

< 0.001

< 0.001

b = 2000

4.70 ± 0.62

4.53 ± 0.64

3.49 ± 0.73

< 0.001

0.537

< 0.001

< 0.001

Overall image quality

       

b = 800

4.80 ± 0.40

4.70 ± 0.49

4.13 ± 0.75

< 0.001

1.000

< 0.001

< 0.001

b = 2000

4.13 ± 0.82

4.05 ± 0.87

3.40 ± 0.69

< 0.001

1.000

< 0.001

< 0.001

  1. Means and standard deviations of image quality obtained by two radiologists are summarized. b800, b = 800 s/mm2; b2000, b = 2000 s/mm2; C-DWI, conventional diffusion-weighted imaging; SMS2-DWI, simultaneous multislice accelerated DWI with an acceleration factor of 2; SMS3-DWI, simultaneous multislice accelerated DWI with an acceleration factor of 3