Prospective comparison of T2-weighted fast spin-echo, with and without fat suppression, and conventional spin-echo pulse sequences in the upper abdomen.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate use of fast spin-echo (FSE) magnetic resonance imaging with and without fat suppression in the liver and upper abdomen.


METHODS
Conventional spin-echo (SE) T2-weighted, FSE T2-weighted, and fat-suppressed FSE T2-weighted images from 37 patients strongly suspected to have focal hepatic lesions were evaluated.


RESULTS
Quantitative analysis demonstrated that fat-suppressed FSE imaging had the highest lesion-liver contrast-to-noise ratio; conventional SE imaging, the lowest. In a qualitative analysis, FSE imaging was preferred. In a rank order analysis, FSE imaging was preferred 83% of the time and fat-suppressed FSE imaging 17% of the time as regards overall image quality; fat-suppressed FSE imaging was preferred 64% of the time, FSE imaging 23% of the time, and conventional SE imaging 13% of the time as regards signal abnormality detection.


CONCLUSIONS
FSE imaging with and without fat suppression is a potentially useful pulse sequence for evaluating the upper abdomen.
Schwartz
L H
LH
Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
Seltzer
S E
SE
Tempany
C M
CM
Silverman
S G
SG
Piwnica-Worms
D R
DR
Adams
D F
DF
Herman
L
L
Herman
L T
LT
Hooshmand
R
R
D000005:Abdomen / Q000473:pathology*; D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016477:Artifacts; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007672:Kidney Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology