Motivation: Synthetic MRI's post-acquisition contrast adjustment could save time over conventional MRI, but its clinical image quality remains uncertain. Goal(s): The study aimed to assess synthetic MRI's effectiveness by comparing its image contrast with conventional MRI in tumor-related areas. Approach: A retrospective study of 60 patients with brain tumors analyzed contrast between synthetic and conventional MRI across T1WI, FLAIR, and T2WI in active tumor, edema, and necrotic regions. Results: Synthetic MRI showed significantly higher T1WI contrast in active tumor and edema areas, enhancing visibility. FLAIR images also showed improved contrast, highlighting synthetic MRI's potential for better diagnostic imaging. Impact: The findings could transform clinical practices by improving tumor visualization and differentiation, leading to more accurate diagnoses. This research prompts new questions on optimizing synthetic MRI and underscores its value in advancing neuroimaging for better patient outcomes.
Takatsu et al. (Tue,) studied this question.