Improved assessment of microbleeds by highly-accelerated 3D SWAN imaging with deep learning-based reconstruction.

Motivation: While T2* weighted imaging evaluates microbleeds, high-resolution 3D SWI requires long acquisition times with motion artifact risks. Fast imaging is needed for monitoring ARIA-H in Alzheimer's treatment. Goal(s): To evaluate the diagnostic performance of DL Speed (DLS), a vendor-supplied prototype version of Sonic DL, which enables high acceleration rates and short scan times, in detecting microbleeds using DLS-reconstructed 3D SWAN. Approach: 71 cognitive decline patients underwent T2*WI and 2mm DLS-SWAN. Two neuroradiologists conducted readings with and without DLS-SWAN. Results: 2mm DLS-SWAN achieved whole-brain imaging with high resolution in less than 2 minutes, resulting in detection of significantly more definite microbleeds than T2*WI. Impact: DLS-SWAN can potentially be useful as a rapid 3D T2* technique for screening MRI at baseline in patients undergoing monoclonal antibody therapy for Alzheimer disease.