Journal / Conference
Diagnostics
Application / Registration Date
2026
Abstract
• Background/Objectives
MRI is preferred for disc-related assessment in suspected degenerative spinal disorders, but it may be delayed, unavailable, or contraindicated; in such cases, CT findings often guide initial decisions. To address these limitations in MRI accessibility, we developed Dr.Magic (DRM-S-01), an AI-enabled CT-to-MRI translation system that converts non-contrast spine CT into MRI-like translated images (T̂-MRI), and conducted a retrospective reader study to assess its clinical utility.
• Methods
Ninety-two paired CT/MRI examinations were independently reviewed by three board-certified radiologists under three conditions: MRI-only, CT-only, and CT augmented with T̂-MRI. MRI-only interpretation served as the per-reader reference standard.
• Results
CT augmented with T̂-MRI improved diagnostic accuracy for disc-related assessment versus CT-only for all readers (34.78% to 72.83%, 42.39% to 77.17%, and 40.22% to 69.57%; all p < 0.01), increasing mean accuracy from 39.13% ± 3.20% to 73.19% ± 3.12%. Inter-reader agreement also improved (Fleiss’ κ: 0.5617 to 0.6621; observed agreement: 0.6630 to 0.8116).
• Conclusions
Overall, these findings suggest that augmenting CT interpretation with T̂-MRI may improve diagnostic performance and reading consistency when timely MRI is not feasible. In our implementation, Dr.Magic completed T̂-MRI translation in a median of 10.90 s per CT examination (IQR, 10.39–11.79), supporting practical use within CT-based workflows.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16111589
Journal / Conference
Diagnostics
Application / Registration Date
2026
Abstract
• Background/Objectives
MRI is preferred for disc-related assessment in suspected degenerative spinal disorders, but it may be delayed, unavailable, or contraindicated; in such cases, CT findings often guide initial decisions. To address these limitations in MRI accessibility, we developed Dr.Magic (DRM-S-01), an AI-enabled CT-to-MRI translation system that converts non-contrast spine CT into MRI-like translated images (T̂-MRI), and conducted a retrospective reader study to assess its clinical utility.
• Methods
Ninety-two paired CT/MRI examinations were independently reviewed by three board-certified radiologists under three conditions: MRI-only, CT-only, and CT augmented with T̂-MRI. MRI-only interpretation served as the per-reader reference standard.
• Results
CT augmented with T̂-MRI improved diagnostic accuracy for disc-related assessment versus CT-only for all readers (34.78% to 72.83%, 42.39% to 77.17%, and 40.22% to 69.57%; all p < 0.01), increasing mean accuracy from 39.13% ± 3.20% to 73.19% ± 3.12%. Inter-reader agreement also improved (Fleiss’ κ: 0.5617 to 0.6621; observed agreement: 0.6630 to 0.8116).
• Conclusions
Overall, these findings suggest that augmenting CT interpretation with T̂-MRI may improve diagnostic performance and reading consistency when timely MRI is not feasible. In our implementation, Dr.Magic completed T̂-MRI translation in a median of 10.90 s per CT examination (IQR, 10.39–11.79), supporting practical use within CT-based workflows.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16111589