title: High-resolution MR imaging of the elbow using a microscopy surface coil and a clinical 1.5 T MR machine: preliminary results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To obtain high-resolution MR images of the elbow using a microscopy surface coil with a 1.5 T clinical machine and to evaluate the feasibility of its use for elbow injuries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five asymptomatic normal volunteers and 13 patients with elbow pain were prospectively studied with MR imaging using a microscopy surface coil 47 mm in diameter. High-resolution MR images using a microscopy coil were obtained with fast spin echo (FSE) proton density-weighted sequence, gradient recalled echo (GRE) T2*-weighted sequence, and short tau inversion recovery (STIR) sequence, with a 1-2 mm slice thickness, a 50-70 mm field of view, an imaging matrix of 140-224 x 512 using zero fill interpolation, and 2-6 excitations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High-resolution MR images of normal volunteers using a microscopy coil clearly showed each structure of the medial and lateral collateral ligaments on GRE T2*-weighted images and FSE proton-density weighted images. Partial medial collateral ligament injury, a small avulsion of the medial epicondyle, and osteochondritis dissecans were well demonstrated on high-resolution MR images.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-resolution MR imaging of the elbow using a microscopy surface coil with a 1.5 T clinical machine is a promising method for accurately characterizing the normal anatomy of the elbow and depicting its lesions in detail.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan. hyoshioka@partners.org
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: Teruko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Toshikazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kujiraoka
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shindo
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Yasumasa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishiura
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Yukihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saida
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000092464:Elbow Injuries