title: Interventional musculoskeletal procedures performed by using MR imaging guidance with a vertically open MR unit: assessment of techniques and applicability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety of and time required for a broad range of musculoskeletal interventional procedures performed by using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging guidance with a vertically open 0.5-T unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-three MR imaging-guided procedures were performed. A vertically open MR unit equipped with in-room display monitors allowed interactive freehand MR guidance predominantly with fast spin-echo and gradient-echo sequences. Each procedure was classified in terms of the anatomic location, procedure type, and tissue type involved. The procedures were evaluated for success of needle placement, adequacy of tissue sampling, total procedural time, needle time, number of needle passes, and complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Procedures consisted of tissue sampling with core-needle (n = 6) or fine-needle aspiration (n = 20) biopsy, corticosteroid or contrast agent injection (n = 19), joint cyst aspiration (n = 7), and drainage (n = 11). Successful needle placement was achieved in all 63 cases. Cytologic and histologic tissue samples were sufficient for pathologic diagnosis in 24 of 26 cases. In two cases, complications occurred: transient local bleeding and a brief vasovagal episode. The mean total procedural time was 64.8 minutes; the mean needle time, 26.2 minutes; and the mean number of needle passes per patient, 1.6.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With use of a vertically open MR unit, MR-guided interventional procedures involving bone, soft tissue, intervertebral disks, and joints are safe and sufficiently rapid for use in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, Calif., USA.
authors.forename: Justin W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Genant
authors.forename: Jan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Vandevenne
authors.forename: A Gabrielle
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Bergman
authors.forename: Christopher F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Beaulieu
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kee
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Norbash
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000473:pathology*