Reliability of synthetic diffusion-weighted imaging with a high b-value for paediatric abdominal MRI

•Synthetic DWI with high b-value had excellent agreement with conventional DWI. •Reliability of synthetic DWI was high in pediatric abdominal MRI. •Synthetic DWI could enhance the benefits of DWI in pediatric abdominal MRI. AIM To evaluate the reliability of synthetic diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) using a high b-value in comparison to conventional DWI for paediatric abdominal MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS Paediatric patients (<19 years old) who underwent liver or pancreatobiliary MRI with DWI using 10 b-values (b = 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1,500 s/mm2) from March to October 2021 were included in this retrospective study. Using the software, synthetic DWI using b = 1,500 s/mm2 was generated automatically by selecting the b-value required as output. Conventional and synthetic DWI values for b = 1,500 s/mm2 were measured at the liver, spleen, paraspinal muscle, and mass lesions, if present, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were calculated using the mono-exponential model. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to assess the reliability of conventional and synthetic DWI and ADC values with b = 1,500 s/mm2. RESULTS Thirty paediatric patients (M:F = 22:8, mean 10.8 ± 3.1 years old) were included and four had tumours on abdominal MRI. ICC values were 0.906–0.995 between conventional and synthetic DWI and ADC with b = 1,500 s/mm2 in the liver, spleen and muscle. For mass lesions, ICC values were 0.997–0.999 for both synthetic DWI and ADC images. CONCLUSIONS Synthetic DWI and ADC values obtained using a high b-value showed excellent agreement with conventional DWI for the liver, spleen, muscle, and mass in paediatric MRI. To evaluate the reliability of synthetic diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) using a high b-value in comparison to conventional DWI for paediatric abdominal MRI. Paediatric patients (<19 years old) who underwent liver or pancreatobiliary MRI with DWI using 10 b-values (b = 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1,500 s/mm2) from March to October 2021 were included in this retrospective study. Using the software, synthetic DWI using b = 1,500 s/mm2 was generated automatically by selecting the b-value required as output. Conventional and synthetic DWI values for b = 1,500 s/mm2 were measured at the liver, spleen, paraspinal muscle, and mass lesions, if present, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were calculated using the mono-exponential model. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to assess the reliability of conventional and synthetic DWI and ADC values with b = 1,500 s/mm2. Thirty paediatric patients (M:F = 22:8, mean 10.8 ± 3.1 years old) were included and four had tumours on abdominal MRI. ICC values were 0.906–0.995 between conventional and synthetic DWI and ADC with b = 1,500 s/mm2 in the liver, spleen and muscle. For mass lesions, ICC values were 0.997–0.999 for both synthetic DWI and ADC images. Synthetic DWI and ADC values obtained using a high b-value showed excellent agreement with conventional DWI for the liver, spleen, muscle, and mass in paediatric MRI.