MRI of the pelvis at 3 T: very high spatial resolution with sensitivity encoding and flip-angle sweep technique in clinically acceptable scan time. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • OBJECTIVE: The higher signal at 3.0-T allows spatial resolution to be increased without loss in image quality. We evaluated a T2-weighted turbo spin-echo sequence with high spatial resolution (3T-HR) to determine whether this provides clinically useful pelvic MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We designed a sequence with high spatial resolution (3T-HR) (0.45x0.46x4 mm) that was combined with parallel imaging and the variable refocusing angle technique (8.06 min). We examined 23 patients with gynecological disorders using 3T-HR and a standard sequence (3T-SP; 4.03 min; equivalent to 1.5 T). Two radiologists analyzed tissue contrast, signal to noise, detail delineation and artifact level. RESULTS: Tissue contrasts and signal to noise were rated equal. Motion artifacts occurred more often with 3T-SP despite the longer scanning time of 3T-HR. The higher spatial resolution provided additional information in four patients. In two patients small myomas were detected, in one patient a lymph node metastasis was apparent, and in one patient 3T-HR excluded tumor invasion. CONCLUSIONS: High spatial resolution pelvic studies with high image quality can be obtained at 3 T in acceptable scan time. The higher spatial resolution that is feasible at 3 T also provides more clinically relevant information.

publication date

  • October 14, 2005

Research

keywords

  • Genital Diseases, Female
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Pelvis

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 33746606919

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1007/s00330-005-0016-1

PubMed ID

  • 16228214

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 16

issue

  • 3