Comparison of three-dimensional isotropic and conventional MR arthrography with respect to the diagnosis of rotator cuff and labral lesions: focus on isotropic fat-suppressed proton density and VIBE sequences.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the diagnostic accuracies of three-dimensional (3D) isotropic magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) using fat-suppressed proton density (PD) or volume interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) sequences with that of conventional MRA for the diagnosis of rotator cuff and labral lesions.


METHODS
Eighty-six patients who underwent arthroscopic surgery were included. 3D isotropic sequences were performed in the axial plane using fat-suppressed PD (group A) in 53 patients and using VIBE (group B) in 33 patients. Reformatted images were obtained corresponding to conventional images, and evaluated for the presence of labral and rotator cuff lesions using conventional and 3D isotropic sequences. The diagnostic performances of each sequence were determined using arthroscopic findings as the standard.


RESULTS
Good to excellent interobserver agreements were obtained for both 3D isotropic sequences for the evaluation of rotator cuff and labral lesions. Excellent agreement was found between two-dimensional (2D) and 3D isotropic MRA, except for supraspinatus tendon (SST) tears by both readers and for subscapularis tendon (SCT) tears by reader 2 in group B. 2D MRA and 3D isotropic sequences had high diagnostic performances for rotator and labral tears, and the difference between the two imaging methods was insignificant.


CONCLUSIONS
The diagnostic performances of 3D isotropic VIBE and PD sequences were similar to those of 2D MRA.
Department of Radiology, Pusan National University Hospital, Biomedical Research Institute, Republic of Korea; Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea.
S Y
SY
Park
Department of Radiology, Pusan National University Hospital, Biomedical Research Institute, Republic of Korea; Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: lis@pusan.ac.kr.
I S
IS
Lee
Department of Radiology, Pusan National University Hospital, Biomedical Research Institute, Republic of Korea; Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea.
S K
SK
Park
Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pusan National University Hospital, Biomedical Research Institute, Republic of Korea.
S J
SJ
Cheon
Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pusan National University Hospital, Biomedical Research Institute, Republic of Korea.
J M
JM
Ahn
Department of Radiology, Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea.
J W
JW
Song
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001175:Arthrography; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011522:Protons; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*
D003287:Contrast Media; D011522:Protons; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA