Evaluation of bone contusions with fat-saturated fast spin-echo proton-density magnetic resonance imaging.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of fast spin-echo proton-density magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with fat saturation sequences in the evaluation of bone contusions at the knee.


METHODS
Analysis of 46 consecutive knee MRI examinations performed on patients referred from a sports medicine clinic after knee trauma. All examinations included coronal fast spin-echo proton-density fat saturation, fast spin-echo proton-density and fast spin-echo T2-weighted sequences. All 3 coronal sequences were blindly reviewed independently of each other by 3 experienced musculoskeletal radiologists to identify and grade bone contusions.


RESULTS
Thirty-five bone contusions were identified in 24 patients. All bone contusions were identified on fast spin-echo proton-density fat saturation sequences, which was significantly greater than the percentage identified on either fast spin-echo T2-weighted sequences (21/35, 60%, p < 0.001) or fast spin-echo proton-density sequences (10/35, 29%, p < 0.001). Fourteen (40%) of the contusions were identified only on the fast spin-echo proton-density fat saturation sequences. The average grade of contusion for all 35 examinations was also significantly higher on the fast spin-echo proton-density fat saturation sequences than on the fast spin-echo proton-density and fast spin-echo T2-weighted sequences (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Fast spin-echo proton-density fat saturation sequences are more sensitive in the detection of bone contusions than fast spin-echo proton-density and fast spin-echo T2-weighted sequences. Assessment of other structures in the knee with fast spin-echo proton-density fat saturation MRI provides good spatial resolution and adequate T2-weighted information. It may have advantages over the more heavily T2-weighted fast spin-echo T2 fat saturation and inversion recovery sequences.
Lal
N R
NR
Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, USA.
Jamadar
D A
DA
Doi
K
K
Newman
J S
JS
Adler
R S
RS
Uri
D S
DS
Kazerooni
E A
EA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D003288:Contusions / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013977:Tibia / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology