3D Renal Function Weighted Image using dual inversion recovery tissue-specific image contrast optimization (DIRECTION)

Motivation: Various sequences have been proposed as renal-functional-MRI, including BOLD-MRI, IVIM-DWI, DTI and ASL. However, analysis was complicated and the assessment was relatively difficult. More simple and easily assessable approaches are required. Goal(s): Our goal is to find more simple method of assessing renal-function from MR images. Approach: We propose to assess renal-function by renal-corticomedullary-differentiation-image using 3D-TSE with dual-inversion-recovery-tissue-specific-image-contrast-optimization (DIRECTION). Dual-TI were set to simultaneously suppress fat and blood signals, additionally resulting in high contrast in cortex and medulla. We performed DIRECTION on 90 patients and investigated the correlation between renal-corticomedullary-contrast-ratio and eGFR. Results: DIRECTION provided a strong correlation between renal-corticomedullary-contrast-ratio and eGFR. Impact: DIRECTION had the potential to estimate renal function from the renal corticomedullary contrast ratio more simply than conventional methods. In addition, it could also assess anatomy by multi-slices with 3D scan.