Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42401825›Full record

ArticleBMC pulmonary medicine2026

Deep learning-based super-resolution ultrashort echo time MRI for pulmonary nodule detection and longitudinal assessment in emphysema.

Meng-Ting Duan, Hui Liu, Ning Zhang, Meng Li, Gao-Feng Shi, Hui Feng

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pulmonary medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Meng-Ting DuanDepartment of Radiology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No.12 of Jiankang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China.
Hui LiuDepartment of Radiology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No.12 of Jiankang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China.
Ning ZhangDepartment of Radiology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No.12 of Jiankang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China.
Meng LiDepartment of Radiology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No.12 of Jiankang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China.
Gao-Feng ShiDepartment of Radiology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No.12 of Jiankang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China.
Hui FengDepartment of Radiology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No.12 of Jiankang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China. 48401255@hebmu.edu.cn.

Funding

Hebei Provincial Department of Finance No. ZF2025229Medical Science Research Project of Hebei No. 20201140
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study aimed to evaluate the performance of deep learning-based super-resolution ultrashort echo time magnetic resonance imaging (SR-UTE MRI) for the detection of pulmonary nodules and the reliability of longitudinal nodule size assessment compared with conventional ultrashort echo time (UTE) in patients with emphysema. MATERIALS AND

methodsThis prospective study included 127 patients with emphysema and pulmonary nodules who underwent chest low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) and UTE MRI. SR-UTE images were reconstructed using a deep learning-based algorithm. Pulmonary nodule detection performance, size measurement accuracy, and longitudinal reproducibility were assessed using LDCT as the reference standard. Patients were stratified according to CT-derived emphysema severity quantified by low-attenuation area percentage (LAA%). Objective image quality metrics, including signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and Laplacian variance, were also evaluated.

resultsSR-UTE demonstrated superior image quality compared with conventional UTE, with higher SNR and CNR in patients with severe emphysema (both p < 0.05). For nodules < 6 mm, SR-UTE achieved a higher detection rate than UTE (81.8% vs. 54.5%, p < 0.05), with greater improvement for ground-glass nodules in severe emphysema (66.7% vs. 33.3%). Both UTE and SR-UTE achieved 100% sensitivity for nodules > 8 mm. SR-UTE showed better agreement with CT for nodule size measurement, with higher intraclass correlation coefficients across emphysema subgroups (0.89-0.93 vs. 0.84-0.88 for UTE) and reduced measurement bias. In longitudinal analysis, SR-UTE more accurately reflected CT-derived nodule size changes and demonstrated higher reproducibility than UTE (ICC 0.90 vs. 0.82).

conclusionSR-UTE improved the detection of small and subsolid pulmonary nodules and provided more reliable longitudinal size assessment than UTE in patients with emphysema. These findings support the potential role of SR-UTE MRI in MRI-based surveillance of pulmonary nodules.

Indexed as

Deep LearningMagnetic Resonance ImagingMultiple Pulmonary NodulesPulmonary EmphysemaSolitary Pulmonary NoduleAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesReproducibility of ResultsSignal-To-Noise RatioTomography, X-Ray ComputedCTEmphysemaMRIPulmonary noduleSuper-resolution

Identifiers

PMID42401825
PMCPMC13613646

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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.