T2-weighted imaging and water-fat-silicone separation in breast MRI.

Motivation: Breast MRI is increasingly used for diagnosis and high-risk screening in patients with silicone breast implants, a common aesthetic procedure, but silicone-specific sequences lengthen and complicate protocols. Goal(s): We aim to demonstrate simultaneous water-fat-silicone separation with T2-weighting, and improved contrast between fat and silicone. Approach: We propose Dual-Interval Echo-Time (DIET) preparation to provide T2-weighting with reduced fat signal, and multi-point species separation with 5 gradient echoes at each spin-echo. Results: We demonstrate robust water-fat-silicone separation (WFSS) and improved control of T2-weighting in water, and the contrast between fat and silicone. Impact: We have combined DIET Fast Spin Echo with multi-echo water-fat-silicone separation to enable T2-weighted imaging for subjects with silicone breast implants. This may allow improved evaluation of breast tissue, as well as assessment of complications with implants.