title: Comparison between magnetization transfer contrast and fast spin-echo MR imaging of degenerative disease of the cervical spine at 0.3 T.
abstract: We compared magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) with gradient recalled echo (GRE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fast spin-echo (FSE) MRI of the degenerative cervical spine at 0.3 T. Fifty patients with suspected degenerative disease of the cervical spine were prospectively evaluated. Multislice sagittal and axial images of the cervical spine were obtained using MTC GRE sequence [repetition time (TR)/echo time (TE)/flip angle = 750/23/25 degrees] and FSE sequence with peripheral gating (TR/effective TE = 2000-4000/120). Quantitatively, FSE showed higher signal-to-noise ratio and superior disk contrast between normal and degenerative disks, while MTC images showed superior contrast-to-noise ratio for the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) versus cord and superior CSF homogeneity. In qualitative analysis, similar results were obtained. In conclusion, FSE and MTC GRE sequences are MRI techniques of imaging the cervical spine that have different characteristics and supplement each other in the diagnostic imaging of degenerative disease of the cervical spine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Onaya
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Itai
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsunoda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kandatsu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsujii
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016477:Artifacts; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000473:pathology; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017887:Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament / Q000175:diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000175:diagnosis