[Magnetic resonance tomography of the locomotor system with rapid image sequences]

Rapid imaging of the musculoskeletal system with gradient-echosequences exhibits important advantages. Scanning time is reduced to 1/50 up to 1/100. Depending on TR, TE and flip-angle T1 or T2*-weighted image contrast can be achieved with comparable information to spin-echo images. Gradient-echo techniques combined with 3D-data acquisition is especially advantageous. Within a few minutes imaging of the whole interesting volume with thin contiguous slices is possible as well as secondary reconstruction of any plane. Applications of 2D- and 3D-gradient-echo-sequences for imaging pathological conditions of the spine, pelvis, upper and lower extremities, with special regard of the knee joint, will be demonstrated.