title: Diffusion-weighted MR neurography of the brachial and lumbosacral plexus: 3.0 T versus 1.5 T imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare intraindividually the nerve conspicuity of the brachial and lumbosacral plexus on diffusion-weighted (DW) MR neurography (MRN) at two different field strengths.
  
  
  METHODS
  16 healthy volunteers were investigated at 3.0 T and 1.5 T applying optimized variants of a DW spin-echo echo-planar imaging sequence with short TI inversion recovery fat suppression. Full-volume (FV) and curved sub-volume (CSV) maximum intensity projection (MIP) images were reconstructed and nerve conspicuity was visually assessed. Moreover, visible length and sharpness of the nerves were quantitatively analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On FV MIP images, nerve conspicuity at 3.0 T compared to 1.5 T was worse for brachial plexus (P=0.00228), but better for lumbosacral plexus (P=0.00666). On CSV MIP images, nerve conspicuity did not differ significantly for brachial plexus, but was better at 3.0 T for lumbosacral plexus (P=0.00091). The visible length of the analyzed nerves did not differ significantly with the exception of some lumbosacral nerves, which were significantly longer at 3.0 T. The sharpness of all investigated nerves was significantly higher at 3.0 T by about 40-60% for cervical and 97-169% for lumbosacral nerves.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DW MRN imaging at 3.0 T compared to 1.5 T is superior for lumbosacral plexus, but not for brachial plexus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: petra.muertz@ukb.uni-bonn.de.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mürtz
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: Marius.Kaschner@med.uni-duesseldorf.de.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaschner
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: Asadeh.Lakghomi@ukb.uni-bonn.de.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lakghomi
authors.affiliation: Philips Healthcare, Lübeckertordamm 5, 20099 Hamburg, Germany; Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: juergen.gieseke@ukb.uni-bonn.de.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gieseke
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: winfried.willinek@ukb.uni-bonn.de.
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Willinek
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: hans.schild@ukb.uni-bonn.de.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Schild
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: daniel.thomas@ukb.uni-bonn.de.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008160:Lumbosacral Plexus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: 3.0T; Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging; High field; Neurography