title: Fat suppression at 2D MR imaging of the hands: Dixon method versus CHESS technique and STIR sequence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of fat suppression and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the Dixon method with those of the CHESS (Chemical Shift-Selective) technique and STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery) sequence in hands of normal subjects at 2D MR imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  14 healthy volunteers (mean age of 29.4 years) consented to have both hands prospectively imaged with SE T1 Dixon, T1 CHESS, T2 Dixon, T2 CHESS and STIR sequences in a 1.5T MR scanner. Three radiologists scored the effectiveness of fat suppression in bone marrow (EFSBM) and soft tissues (EFSST) in 20 joints per subject. One radiologist measured the SNR in 10 bones per subject. Statistical analysis used two-way ANOVA with random effects, paired t-test and observed agreement to assess differences in effectiveness of fat suppression, differences in SNR and inter-observer agreement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EFSBMwas statistically significantly higher for T1 Dixon than for T1 CHESS and for T2 Dixon than for T2 CHESS (p<0.0001). EFSBMwas significantly higher for T2 Dixon than for STIR in the coronal plane (p=0.0020). The SNR was significantly higher for T1 Dixon than for T1 CHESS and for T2 Dixon than for STIR (p<0.0001). The SNR was significantly lower for T2 Dixon than for T2 CHESS (p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Dixon method yields more effective fat suppression and higher SNR than the CHESS technique at 2D T1-weighted MR imaging of the hands. At T2-weighted MR imaging, fat suppression is more effective with the Dixon method while SNR is higher with the CHESS technique.
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Imaging Unit, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: Thomas.Kirchgesner@uclouvain.be.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kirchgesner
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Imaging Unit, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: Vasiliki.Perlepe@uclouvain.be.
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Perlepe
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Imaging Unit, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: Nicolas.Michoux@uclouvain.be.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Michoux
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Imaging Unit, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: Ahmed.Larbi@chu-nimes.fr.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Larbi
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Imaging Unit, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: Bruno.VandeBerg@uclouvain.be.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vande Berg
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D012016:Reference Values; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio
keywords: Artifacts; Dixon; Fat; Hands; IDEAL; MRI