title: Comparison of BLADE and conventional T2-TSE sequences for the sagittal visualization of the cervical spinal cord in multiple sclerosis patients - a case report.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to report the significant differences found in the identification of lesions in cervical spinal cord of two patients with multiple sclerosis when using the BLADE T2-TSE and BLADE T2-TIRM sequences as opposed to the conventional T2-TSE and T2-TIRM sequences for sagittal acquisition at 1.5T. In both patients, one more lesion was identified with the BLADE sequences than with the conventional ones. Consequently, we suggest the use of BLADE T2-TSE and BLADE T2-TIRM sequences in place of conventional ones for sagittal examination of the cervical spinal cord of multiple sclerosis patients. The advantages of ΤΙRΜ to reveal the pathology of the cervical spinal cord and the advantage of BLADE sequences to improve image quality should be combined in a sequence that could be ideal for cervical spinal cord examinations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Radiological Technologists, Technological Education Institute of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Eleftherios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lavdas
authors.forename: Panayiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mavroidis
authors.forename: Theofilos
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Topaltzikis
authors.forename: Vasileios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Slatinopoulos
authors.forename: Violeta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Roka
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vlachopoulou
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papanikolaou
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stathakis
authors.forename: Eftichia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kapsalaki
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Batsikas
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D056888:Patient Positioning / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: BLADE; Lesion identification; MRI; Multiple sclerosis; T2-TSE