Rapid MR imaging of the pediatric brain using the fast spin-echo technique.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate diagnostic reliability and to establish optimal scanning techniques of a recently developed Fast Spin-echo MR pulse sequence that allows rapid proton density-weighted and T2-weighted imaging.


METHODS
We compared lesion conspicuity and signal intensity measurements on Fast Spin-echo and conventional spin-echo sequences in 81 patients ranging from 1 week to 25 years in age on a 1.5-T MR unit. A total of 28 Fast Spin-echo dual-echo images (14 slice locations) were obtained in 2:08 minutes with a 256 x 128 matrix or in 3:12 minutes with a 256 x 192 matrix at a TR of 2000 msec and two excitations.


RESULTS
Lesion conspicuity and characterization on Fast Spin-echo images compared favorably with conventional spin-echo images in our series when pseudo-TEs of 15 and 90 msec were employed for proton density-weighted and T2-weighted images, respectively. Fast Spin-echo images yielded diagnostic information in four nonsedated patients whose conventional spin-echo images were either degraded by motion or unobtainable. Fat signal remained bright on T2-weighted Fast Spin-echo images. Magnetic-susceptibility effects were slightly reduced with Fast Spin-echo but did not pose any diagnostic problem in our series.


CONCLUSIONS
Diagnostically reliable rapid dual-echo brain images can be obtained with Fast Spin-echo sequences.
Ahn
S S
SS
Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115.
Mantello
M T
MT
Jones
K M
KM
Mulkern
R V
RV
Melki
P S
PS
Higuchi
N
N
Barnes
P D
PD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008961:Models, Structural; D013997:Time Factors