title: Three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequence for visualisation of subthalamic nucleus for deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an accepted treatment for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, targeting the STN is difficult due to its relatively small size and variable location. The purpose of this study was to assess which of the following sequences obtained with the 3.0 T MR system can accurately delineate the STN: coronal 3D fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), 2D T2*-weighted fast-field echo (T2*-FFE) and 2D T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE) sequences.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 20 consecutive patients with PD who underwent 3.0 T MR for DBS targeting. 3D FLAIR, 2D T2*-FFE and T2-TSE images were obtained for all study patients. Image quality and demarcation of the STN were analysed using 4-point scales, and contrast ratio (CR) of the STN and normal white matter was calculated. The Friedman test was used to compare the three sequences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In qualitative analysis, the 2D T2*-FFE image showed more artefacts than 3D FLAIR or 2D T2-TSE, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. 3D FLAIR images showed significantly superior demarcation of the STN compared with 2D T2*-FFE and T2-TSE images (P < 0.001, respectively). The CR of 3D FLAIR was significantly higher than that of 2D T2*-FFE or T2-TSE images in multiple comparison correction (P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in the CR between 2D T2*-FFE and T2-TSE images.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coronal 3D FLAIR images showed the most accurate demarcation of the STN for DBS targeting among coronal 3D FLAIR, 2D T2*-FFE and T2-TSE images.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea.|Department of Radiology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea. sjkimjb@amc.seoul.kr.
authors.forename: Sang Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Choong Gon
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Chai
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Kyo
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chong Sik
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Sebarun Hospital, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: So Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Philips HealthCare Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Gyoung Ro
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D020531:Subthalamic Nucleus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
keywords: 3D fluid-attenuated inversion recovery; Deep brain stimulation; Parkinson’s disease; Subthalamic nucleus