Anteroinferior tears of the glenoid labrum: fat-suppressed fast spin-echo T2 versus gradient-recalled echo MR images.
OBJECTIVE
To compare fat-suppressed fast spin-echo (FSE) T2-weighted images with gradient-recalled echo (GRE) T2*-weighted images in the evaluation of anteroinferior labral tears.


METHODS
MR images were retrospectively reviewed by two radiologists masked to the history and arthroscopic findings. They separately interpreted the anteroinferior labrum as torn or intact, first on one pulse sequence and then, 4 weeks later, on the other sequence. The MR interpretations were correlated with the arthroscopic findings.


METHODS
Nine patients with anteroinferior labral tears, and nine similarly-aged patients with normal, labra were studied.


CONCLUSIONS
Observer 1 had a sensitivity of 0.56 on the GRE images and 0.67 on the FSE images (P > 0.5), with a specificity of 1.0 for both sequences. Observer 2 had a sensitivity of 0.78 and a specificity of 0.89 for both sequences. In this small study there is no significant difference between GRE and fat-suppressed FSE images in their ability to diagnose anteroinferior labral tears. When evaluating the labrum with conventional MRI, axial fat-suppressed FSE T2-weighted images can be used in place of GRE images without a loss of accuracy.
Tuite
M J
MJ
Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison 53792, USA.
De Smet
A A
AA
Norris
M A
MA
Orwin
J F
JF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012782:Shoulder / Q000473:pathology*; D012783:Shoulder Dislocation / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries