A comparison of pulse sequences in the detection of post-traumatic bone marrow abnormalities at low field strength MRI.
OBJECTIVE
One hundred and forty-one patients with recent joint trauma, aged 12-71 years, were imaged on a 0.2-T dedicated MRI system and evaluated for bone bruises. The most beneficial sequences were compared.


METHODS
The diagnosis of post-traumatic bone marrow abnormalities was established in 20 of 141 patients on the basis of decreased signal intensity on T1-weighted SE and GRE sequences and increased signal intensity on T2-weighted TSE and fat-suppressed IRGE sequences. Signal changes within the bone marrow were evaluated and statistically correlated with normal bone.


RESULTS
The highest signal alteration was found on T1-weighted SE and GRE sequences, followed by IRGE, which detected smaller differences in signal intensity. T2-weighted TSE imaging showed the least contrast. The areas with bone marrow changes were approximately equal in size on T1-weighted SE and T2-weighted TSE sequences. The same areas depicted on IRGE and GRE sequences proved to be significantly larger (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Using a 0.2-T dedicated system T1-weighted SE, T1-weighted GRE and IRGE sequences were most effective in detecting conspicuous bone marrow alteration, while the T2-weighted TSE sequence was inferior. GRE and IRGE imaging showed areas about 4 times larger depicting bone marrow changes. On suspicion of bone bruise, a protocol including GRE and IRGE pulse sequences could be most beneficial.
Bonel
H
H
Institut für Radiologische Diagnostik, Klinikum Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany.
Helmberger
T
T
Sittek
H
H
Reiser
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*