title: [Comparative assessment of conventional spin echo sequences and turbo spin echo in the study with magnetic resonance of the lesions of the spinal cord].
abstract: In the last few years, new magnetic resonance (MR) pulse sequences called Fast or Turbo Spin Echo (TSE) sequences have become available. This kind of T2-weighted images is particularly useful for the study of spondylosis and degenerative spinal conditions, because it both reduces involuntary motion artifacts and its acquisition time is shorter than that of conventional SE T2-weighted images. Our study was aimed at assessing the diagnostic gain of this new type of pulse sequences in intrinsic spinal cord conditions. Therefore, we acquired TSE and conventional SE sequences, consequently, in 36 patients with intrinsic spinal cord conditions, which were apparent on T2-weighted images, and then compared the sensitivity, contrast resolution, and depiction of lesion margins and extent in both acquisition techniques. The results of our study follow: even though all lesions were identified with both techniques, contrast resolution was higher with TSE than with conventional SE images. Lesion margins and extent were substantially equally depicted with both techniques. Finally, TSE sequences had the same, and sometimes even higher, diagnostic yield than conventional SE sequences: therefore, TSE can be considered the sequence of choice in the study of intrinsic spinal cord conditions.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Neuroradiologia, Azienda Ospedaliera S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aprile
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Biasizzo
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Petralia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iaiza
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: De Colle
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Santino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fabris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000473:pathology*
vernacular_title: Valutazione comparativa fra sequenze SE tradizionali e Turbo SE nello studio con Risonanza Magnetica delle lesioni del midollo spinale.