RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Deep Learning–Based Super-Resolution Reconstruction on Undersampled Brain Diffusion-Weighted MRI for Infarction Stroke: A Comparison to Conventional Iterative Reconstruction
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 41
OP 48
DO 10.3174/ajnr.A8482
VO 46
IS 1
A1 Zhang, Shuo
A1 Zhong, Meimeng
A1 Shenliu, Hanxu
A1 Wang, Nan
A1 Hu, Shuai
A1 Lu, Xulun
A1 Lin, Liangjie
A1 Zhang, Haonan
A1 Zhao, Yan
A1 Yang, Chao
A1 Feng, Hongbo
A1 Song, Qingwei
YR 2025
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/46/1/41.abstract
AB BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: DWI is crucial for detecting infarction stroke. However, its spatial resolution is often limited, hindering accurate lesion visualization. Our aim was to evaluate the image quality and diagnostic confidence of deep learning (DL)-based super-resolution reconstruction for brain DWI of infarction stroke.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 114 consecutive participants who underwent brain DWI. The DWI images were reconstructed with 2 schemes: 1) DL-based super-resolution reconstruction (DWIDL); and 2) conventional compressed sensing reconstruction (DWICS). Qualitative image analysis included overall image quality, lesion conspicuity, and diagnostic confidence in infarction stroke of different lesion sizes. Quantitative image quality assessments were performed by measurements of SNR, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), ADC, and edge rise distance. Group comparisons were conducted by using a paired t test for normally distributed data and the Wilcoxon test for non-normally distributed data. The overall agreement between readers for qualitative ratings was assessed by using the Cohen κ coefficient. A P value less than .05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTS: A total of 114 DWI examinations constituted the study cohort. For the qualitative assessment, overall image quality, lesion conspicuity, and diagnostic confidence in infarction stroke lesions (lesion size <1.5 cm) improved by DWIDL compared with DWICS (all P < .001). For the quantitative analysis, edge rise distance of DWIDL was reduced compared with that of DWICS (P < .001), and no significant difference in SNR, CNR, and ADC values (all P > .05).CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the conventional compressed sensing reconstruction, the DL-based super-resolution reconstruction demonstrated superior image quality and was feasible for achieving higher diagnostic confidence in infarction stroke.CNNconvolutional neural networkCNRcontrast-to-noise ratioCScompressed sensingDLdeep learning;DWICSconventional compressed sensing reconstructionDWIDLDL-based super-resolution reconstructionERDedge rise distanceIQRinterquartile range