Comparing Gastrointestinal (GI) Motility scoring using Cine T2-weighted bSSFP and SSFSE Sequences in MR Enterography

Motivation: GI motility, a biomarker for acute inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease in MR enterography 1,2(MRE), has been quantified with cine bSSFP sequences, and not with the SSFSE sequences. Goal(s): Assess how different types of dynamic sequences may change the measured motility score in normal appearing bowel. Approach: We compared the GI Quant motility scores in cine bSSFP to a cine SSFSE sequence in 31 patients. Results: GI Quant score is significantly different between the two techniques with a numerically higher score in SSFSE likely due to its longer time interval between frames. Impact: A correction factor may be required for use of SSFSE sequences for dynamic small bowel motility assessment with GI Quant. Motility is a biomarker of inflammation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.