Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40681776›Full record

ArticleEuropean radiology2026

Diagnostic interchangeability of deep-learning based Synth-STIR images generated from T1 and T2 weighted spine images.

Jie Li, Meiling Xu, Baiyang Jiang, Qian Dong, Yi Xia, Taohu Zhou, Xiaoqing Lin, Yanqing Ma, Song Jiang, Zhihao Zhang and 3 more

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Article in European radiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed
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3 · Its place in the literature

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2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Jie Li *Department of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, The People's Republic of China.
Meiling Xu *Department of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, The People's Republic of China.
Baiyang JiangDepartment of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, The People's Republic of China.
Qian DongDepartment of Radiology, University of Michigan Taubman Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Yi XiaDepartment of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, The People's Republic of China.
Taohu ZhouDepartment of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, The People's Republic of China.
Xiaoqing LinDepartment of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, The People's Republic of China.
Yanqing MaDepartment of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, The People's Republic of China.
Song JiangDepartment of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, The People's Republic of China.
Zhihao ZhangShentou Medical Inc, Shanghai, The People's Republic of China.
Lei XiangShentou Medical Inc, Shanghai, The People's Republic of China.
Li FanDepartment of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, The People's Republic of China. fanli0930@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4722-3933
Shiyuan LiuDepartment of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, The People's Republic of China.

Funding

Clinical Innovative Project of Shanghai Changzheng Hospital 2020YLCYJY24Medical Imaging Database Construction Program of National Health Commission YXFSC2022JJSJ002National Key Research and Development Program of China 2022YFC2010000National Key Research and Development Program of China 2022YFC2010002National Key Research and Development Program of China 2022YFC2010006National Natural Science Foundation of China 81930049National Natural Science Foundation of China 82171926National Natural Science Foundation of China 82430065Program of Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality 21DZ2202600the Shanghai Sailing Program 20YF1449000
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo evaluate image quality and diagnostic interchangeability of synth short-tau inversion recovery (STIR) generated by deep learning in comparison with standard STIR. MATERIALS AND

methodsThis prospective study recruited participants between July 2023 and August 2023. Participants were scanned with T1WI and T2WI, then generated Synth-STIR. Signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) were calculated for quantitative evaluation. Four independent, blinded radiologists performed subjective quality and lesion characteristic assessment. Wilcoxon tests were used to assess the differences in SNR, CNR, and subjective image quality. Various diagnostic findings pertinent to the spine were tested for interchangeability using the individual equivalence index (IEI). Inter-reader and intra-reader agreement and concordance were computed, and McNemar tests were performed for comprehensive evaluation.

resultsOne hundred ninety-nine participants (106 male patients, mean age 46.8 ± 16.9 years) were included. Compared to standard-STIR, Synth-STIR reduces sequence scanning time by approximately 180 s, has significantly higher SNR and CNR (p < 0.001). For artifacts, noise, sharpness, and diagnostic confidence, all readers agreed that Synth-STIR was significantly better than standard-STIR (all p < 0.001). In addition, the IEI was less than 1.61%. Kappa and Kendall showed a moderate to excellent agreement in the range of 0.52-0.97. There was no significant difference in the frequencies of the major features as reported with standard-STIR and Synth-STIR (p = 0.211-1).

conclusionSynth-STIR shows significantly higher SNR and CNR, and is diagnostically interchangeable with standard-STIR with a substantial overall reduction in the imaging time, thereby improving efficiency without sacrificing diagnostic value. KEY POINTS: Question Can generating STIR improve image quality while reducing spine MRI acquisition time in order to increase clinical spine MRI throughput? Findings With reduced acquisition time, Synth-STIR has significantly higher SNR and CNR than standard-STIR and can be interchangeably diagnosed with standard-STIR in detecting spinal abnormalities. Clinical relevance Our Synth-STIR provides the same high-quality images for clinical diagnosis as standard-STIR, while reducing scanning time for spine MRI protocols. Increase clinical spine MRI throughput.

Indexed as

Deep LearningImage Interpretation, Computer-AssistedMagnetic Resonance ImagingSpinal DiseasesSpineAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesReproducibility of ResultsSignal-To-Noise RatioInterchangeabilityMagnetic resonance imagingSpineSynthetic STIR

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.