title: Fast spin-echo MR imaging of the eye.
abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging of the eye usually includes T2-weighted images both for screening purposes and for characterization of melanoma. Conventional T2-weighted spin-echo (SE) imaging suffers both from long acquisition times and incomplete recovery of the vitreous' signal. A fast SE sequence was therefore compared prospectively with conventional sequences in 29 consecutive patients with lesions of the eye. Fast SE images delineated melanoma and other lesions of the eye from vitreous better than conventional T2-weighted images. Image quality and lesion conspicuity were improved on the fast sequence. Whereas melanoma appeared hypointense to vitreous on both types of images, subretinal effusion was hypointense on fast images and hyperintense on conventional T2-weighted images. Ghosting of the globe, which, however, did not decrease diagnostic value, was more pronounced on fast images. Conventional T2-weighted images may be replaced by fast SE images in MR studies of the eye with a gain in lesion conspicuity and significant time saving.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Virchow Klinikum der Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hosten
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lemke
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bornfeld
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wassmuth
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schweiger
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Terstegge
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Felix
mesh_terms: D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012175:Retinoblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis