Evaluation Of Image Quality In Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Of Elderly Patients At 1.5Tesla An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Background Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an essential tool in neuroimaging, offering excellent soft-tissue contrast and multiplanar capabilities without ionizing radiation. The 1.5 Tesla (T) MRI system remains the most widely used worldwide, primarily because of its accessibility, lower cost, and reduced susceptibility to certain artifacts when compared to higher-field systems such as 3Tesla¹. Brain imaging in elderly patients, however, presents unique challenges. Normal aging is often accompanied by cerebral atrophy, ventricular enlargement, and white matter changes, all of which may influence image interpretation². In addition, vascular alterations, including cerebral small vessel disease, are common in older adults and are best demonstrated on T2-weighted and FLAIR sequences³. Elderly patients are also more prone to motion during scans, related to discomfort, tremors, or cognitive decline, which can further compromise image quality⁴.High-quality imaging is crucial in this population because MRI plays a central role in diagnosing conditions such as dementia, cerebrovascular disease, and Parkinson’s disease⁵. Therefore, evaluation of image quality at 1.5 T in elderly patients remains highly relevant for clinical practice. Despite the extensive use of 1.5 T scanners, few studies have systematically assessed brain image quality in elderly individuals. An exploratory evaluation can provide preliminary insights into common limitations, support protocol refinement, and ultimately improve diagnostic confidence in this rapidly growing patient population. Method: This Exploratoryresearch employs a Comparative study design to compare the image quality in routine brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans at 1.5T before and after implementing image quality improvement strategies. The study involved 23individualpediatric participant’s data (10 females and 13males) aged above 60years who underwent MRI scans. Participants with any systemic disease, acute traumaand participants with absolute contraindications were excluded from the study. As part of the research methodology, independent image quality evaluations are conducted by two expert raters to ensure objectivity and consistency in analysis. Their assessments form the basis for statistical analysis of inter-rater agreement of kappa coherence statistics and contribute significantly to the study's findings on image quality standards and improvements. Result: This study aimed to evaluate inter-rater agreement on MRI image overall quality. The findings demonstrate the agreement between the two raters, with Cohen’s Kappa values indicating fair agreement for image clarity (κ = 0.49),moderateagreement for overall image quality. Thekappa values suggest that subjective interpretation plays a role in evaluating specific image characteristics. This outcome underscores the effectiveness of intervention protocols aimed at optimizing image quality in clinical MRI practice.