T1- and T2-weighted fast spin-echo imaging of the brachial plexus and cervical spine with IDEAL water-fat separation.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation (IDEAL) method with fat-saturated T1-weighted (T1W) and T2W fast spin-echo (FSE) and short-TI inversion recovery (STIR) imaging of the brachial plexus and cervical spine.


METHODS
Images acquired at 1.5T in five volunteers using fat-saturated T1W and T2W FSE imaging and STIR were compared with T1W and T2W IDEAL-FSE images. Examples of T1W and T2W IDEAL-FSE images acquired in patients are also shown.


RESULTS
T1W and T2W IDEAL-FSE demonstrated superior fat suppression (P<0.05) and image quality (P<0.05), compared to T1W and T2W fat-saturated FSE, respectively. SNR performance of T1W-IDEAL-FSE was similar to T1W FSE in the spinal cord (P=0.250) and paraspinous muscles (P=0.78), while T2W IDEAL-FSE had superior SNR in muscle (P=0.02) and CSF (P=0.02), and marginally higher cord SNR (P=0.09). Compared to STIR, T2W IDEAL-FSE demonstrated superior image quality (P<0.05), comparable fat suppression (excellent, P=1.0), and higher SNR performance (P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
IDEAL-FSE is a promising method for T1W and T2W imaging of the brachial plexus and cervical spine.
Reeder
Scott B
SB
Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53792-3252, USA. sreeder@wisc.edu
Yu
Huanzhou
H
Johnson
Jane W
JW
Shimakawa
Ann
A
Brittain
Jean H
JH
Pelc
Norbert J
NJ
Beaulieu
Christopher F
CF
Gold
Garry E
GE
D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001834:Body Water; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000473:pathology*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000473:pathology*
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA