The goal of this observational study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an intelligent accelerated MRI technique in children with abdominal pain. The main question it aims to answer is: Does the intelligent accelerated MRI reduce scan time while maintaining diagnostic accuracy in pediatric patients? Participants will: Receive an abdominal MRI scan using the accelerated protocol as part of their clinical evaluation. Have their scan duration and image quality compared to conventional MRI standards.
The goal of this prospective observational study is to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of an intelligent accelerated MRI scanning technique in pediatric patients presenting with abdominal pain. The main questions it aims to answer are: Can the intelligent accelerated MRI technique achieve comparable or superior image quality to conventional MRI while significantly reducing scan time? Does the accelerated scanning protocol reduce motion artifacts and improve diagnostic accuracy in pediatric patients? Participants will: Undergo an intelligent accelerated MRI scan of the abdomen as part of their diagnostic workup. Have their scan duration, image quality, and diagnostic outcomes compared to historical or conventional MRI data (if available). Why this study? Abdominal pain is a common pediatric complaint with diverse causes. While MRI is a non-invasive, radiation-free diagnostic tool, its utility in children is limited by long scan times and motion artifacts. This study investigates a novel intelligent accelerated MRI sequence that promises faster scans without compromising quality. Validating this technology in children could transform MRI's role in diagnosing abdominal pain by improving patient comfort, reducing sedation needs, and enhancing diagnostic accuracy. Ethical approval: Conducted at Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, with oversight by the Institutional Ethics Committee. Key innovation: Leveraging cutting-edge AI-driven acceleration to address pediatric imaging challenges. If successful, this approach could set a new standard for rapid, child-friendly MRI diagnostics.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
150
All patients underwent MRI scans of the abdominal and pelvic regions on the uMR 790 scanner at Tongji Hospital's Optical Valley Campus. The scanning protocol included multiplanar ACS T2WI sequences, TACS T2WI sequences, and conventional T2WI sequences. ACS T2WI sequence: Used for preliminary motion artifact correction. TACS T2WI sequence: Employed for advanced motion artifact correction and provided dynamic images of organ movement. Conventional T2WI sequence: Served as the standard reference for comparison.
Tongji Hospital
Wuhan, Hubei, China
Scan Time Reduction with Intelligent Accelerated MRI
Comparison of total scan time (minutes) for abdominal/pelvic MRI using the intelligent accelerated protocol (ACS-T2WI and TACS-T2WI sequences) versus conventional T2WI sequences, while maintaining diagnostic image quality (assessed by radiologists using a 5-point Likert scale).
Time frame: During MRI scan procedure (single time point).
Diagnostic Accuracy of Accelerated MRI
Diagnostic concordance rate (%) between intelligent accelerated MRI and conventional MRI for identifying causes of abdominal pain (e.g., appendicitis, bowel obstruction), validated against final clinical/histopathological diagnoses.
Time frame: Within 24 hours post-scan.
Motion Artifact Reduction
Quantitative evaluation of motion artifacts in accelerated MRI scans (ACS-T2WI and TACS-T2WI) compared to conventional T2WI, scored by two blinded radiologists using a 4-point scale (1 = severe artifacts; 4 = minimal/no artifacts).
Time frame: During MRI scan procedure (single time point).
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