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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Skeletal Muscle Disease
Published on: December 18, 2016
Fat-suppression failure artifacts simulating pathology on frequency-selective fat-suppression MR images of the head
Y Anzai1, R B Lufkin, B A Jabour
1Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine.
Purpose:
To describe fat-suppression failure artifacts and to caution against their misinterpretation.
Method:
Magnetic-susceptibility artifacts were studied in a phantom model and the results were compared to MR images obtained in clinical cases.
Findings:
Artifacts manifested themselves as regions of focal fat-suppression failure and appeared as bright signals without geometric distortions at magnetic-susceptibility interfaces along the static field (z) direction. The location and extent of these artifacts were independent of either frequency or phase-encoding direction and are different from those observed in gradient-echo images.
Conclusions:
In representative clinical MR exams, these artifacts were identified in the high nasopharynx and low orbit and should not be misinterpreted as pathology.
Insights
Magnetic-susceptibility artifacts can cause focal fat-suppression failure in MRI, appearing as bright signals. These artifacts in the nasopharynx and orbit should not be mistaken for pathology.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Background:
- Fat-suppression techniques are crucial in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for tissue characterization.
- Artifacts can mimic or obscure true pathology, leading to misdiagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe and characterize magnetic-susceptibility artifacts causing fat-suppression failure.
- To provide guidance against misinterpreting these artifacts as pathological findings.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a phantom model to study magnetic-susceptibility artifacts.
- Compared phantom findings with clinical MRI cases.
Main Results:
- Artifacts presented as focal fat-suppression failure with bright signals.
- These signals occurred at magnetic-susceptibility interfaces along the static field (z-axis).
- Artifact characteristics were independent of frequency/phase-encoding and differed from gradient-echo images.
Conclusions:
- Identified these artifacts in the nasopharynx and orbit in clinical MRI scans.
- Emphasized that these specific artifacts should not be misinterpreted as disease.
- Highlights the importance of recognizing imaging artifacts in diagnostic MRI.
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