Transient severe motion artifacts on gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI: risk factor analysis in 2230 patients

Abstract

Objectives: To determine risk factors for transient severe motion (TSM) artifact on arterial phase of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI using a large cohort.

Methods: A total of 2230 patients who underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI was consecutively included. Two readers evaluated respiratory motion artifact on arterial phase images using a 5-point grading scale. Clinical factors including demographic data, underlying disease, laboratory data, presence of ascites and pleural effusion, and previous experience of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI were investigated. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine significant risk factors for TSM. Predictive value of TSM was calculated according to the number of significant risk factors.

Results: Overall incidence of TSM was 5.0% (111/2230). In the multivariable analysis, old age (≥ 65 years; odds ratio [OR] = 2.01 [95% CI, 1.31-3.07]), high body mass index (≥ 25 kg/m²; OR = 1.76 [1.18-2.63]), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR = 6.11 [2.32-16.04]), and moderate to severe pleural effusion (OR = 3.55 [1.65-7.65]) were independent significant risk factors for TSM. Presence of hepatitis B (OR = 0.66 [0.43-0.99]) and previous experience of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI (OR = 0.52 [0.33-0.83]) were negative risk factors for TSM. When at least one of the significant factors was present, the predictive risk was 5.7% (109/1916), whereas it was 16.3% (17/104) when at least four factors were present.

Conclusion: Knowing risk factors for transient severe motion artifact on gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI can be clinically useful for providing diagnostic strategies more tailored to individual patients.

Key points: • Old age, high body mass index, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and moderate to severe pleural effusion were independent risk factors for transient severe motion artifact on gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI. • Patients with hepatitis B or previous experience of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI were less likely to show transient severe motion artifact. • As the number of risk factors for transient severe motion artifact increased, the predicted risk for it also showed a tendency to increase.

Keywords: Artifacts; Gadoxetic acid; Liver; Magnetic resonance imaging; Risk factors.