title: Improvement in imaging common temporal bone pathologies at 3 T MRI: small structures benefit from a small field of view.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare image quality and evaluate its clinical importance in common temporal bone pathologies of a pTX-SPACE (parallel transmit [pTX] three-dimensional turbo spin-echo with variable flip angle [SPACE]) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequence improved for spatial resolution to a standard-SPACE sequence exhibiting the same scan time at 3 T.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four patients were examined using a standard-SPACE and resolution improved pTX-SPACE sequence at 3 T MRI. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and image quality were assessed. Diseases investigated were vestibular schwannoma (VS), intralabyrinthine schwannoma (ILS), inner ear malformations, labyrinthitis, temporal bone fractures, and situation after VS resection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Edge definition, intratumoural pattern, discrimination of VS from the modiolus and edge definition of ILS, separability from the spiral lamina, and detectability within cochlear turns were improved on the pTX-SPACE sequence. Detectability of malformations, post-traumatic changes, and discrimination of the cochlear and facial nerve after VS resection was improved on the pTX-SPACE sequence. In labyrinthitis, pTX-SPACE was not superior to standard-SPACE. The SNR and CNR were significantly reduced for pTX-SPACE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  pTX-SPACE significantly improves the detectability of temporal bone diseases, in particular, VS, ILS, and post-VS resection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address: maximilian.schulze@med.uni-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.affiliation: University Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reimann
authors.affiliation: University Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seeger
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Magnetic Resonance Research Group, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Klose
authors.affiliation: University Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ernemann
authors.affiliation: University Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Hauser
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D007759:Labyrinth Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries*; D055815:Young Adult