Diffusion Weighted Imaging in Head-And-Neck Cancer: Comparison Between Echo Planar and Turbo Spin Echo Sequences

Tim Schakel¹, Gert van Yperen², Johan van den Brink², Frank A. Pameijer³, Chris Terhaard¹, Hans Hoogduin³, Marielle E.P. Philippens¹

Current DW-EPI images are, due to the geometric distortions, unsuitable for delineation purposes for radiotherapy treatment planning in head-and-neck cancer patients. The presented alternative, DW-SPLICE, can produce distortion free images at the cost of longer acquisition times and increased blurring.