[Contrast optimisation of musculoskeletal tissues in the knee region using spinecho and spoiled gradientecho MR...

In this study the contrast behaviour of five different musculoskeletal tissues of the knee (muscle, cartilage, bone marrow, synovial fluid and the Hoffa's fat body) were analysed for spinecho-and spoiled gradientecho sequences by means of computer simulations On the basis of tissue properties (spin density, T1, T2 and T2*) obtained from three healthy subjects optimal imaging parameters TR, TE and the flip angle (the latter only for GRE) were derived for separation between two tissue types. As a criterion for the ability to separate two tissues the ratio between signal intensity difference regarding the two tissues of interest and the used measuring time was applied. The paper presents the sequence type and parameters for optimal tissue contrast regarding all possible pairs of tissue. The applicability of the model was tested by comparing results with corresponding images recorded in a healthy subject. The long-term objective is the optimisation of imaging strategies for the so called "computer aided diagnostics", where reliable automated tissue separation in huge radiological MR data sets is considered essential.