title: [T1-weighted vs. short-TE-long-TR images: usefulness for knee MR examinations of ligament and meniscal lesions].
abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare short-TE-long-TR images with T1-weighted images in knee MR examinations. Sagittal MR images of the knee were obtained in 31 patients with knee pain. T1-weighted images were obtained by the spin-echo technique (TR/TE = 350/15), and short-TE-long-TR images by fast spin-echo (TR/TE = 1300/15) with an echo-train length of 5. Contrast-to-noise-ratios (CNRs) of the anterior cruciate ligament and synovial space, meniscus and articular cartilage, and meniscal lesion and normal meniscus were compared between short-TE-long-TR images and T1-weighted images. On each of the three examinations, short-TE-long-TR images provided significantly higher CNRs than T1-weighted images. It was concluded that short-TE-long-TR images can be a useful alternative to T1-weighted images in evaluating the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscal lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tsukuba Medical Center Hospital.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niitsu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiotani
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Itai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D007719:Knee Joint; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged