[Use of the 3D procedure in nuclear magnetic resonance tomography in ENT diagnostics]

The use of 3D-gradient-echo sequences improved the diagnosis of malignant tumors of the skull base, the nasopharynx, the nasal cavities, the paranasal sinuses and the upper parts of the parapharyngeal space with relation to the skull base. Therefore the tumor extent and infiltration may be better appreciated than in conventional 2D-spin-echo or gradient echo sequences. Using this method, the examinations of 22 patients with carcinomas could be compared. Precise tumor delineation was achieved in six of these patients when compared with surgical and histological findings. The 3D sequences most frequently used were FLASH 40 degrees with TR of 40 ms and the shortest TE (5 to 6 ms). 3D turbo-FLASH (MPRage) with Gad-DTPA was applied in order to shorten the acquisition time by half and especially to reduce motion artefacts.