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[Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine--comparison of multiple spin echo and low flip angle gradient echo
Abstract:
Sixteen patients including 13 cases with disk herniation and 3 cases with spondylosis of lumbar spine were examined on a resistive MRI system operating at 0.1 T. All lesions were studied with both multiple spin echo (MSE) and low flip angle gradient echo (LF) techniques to evaluate which technique is more effective in detecting the disk degeneration and the indentation on subarachnoid space. MSE images were obtained with repetition time (TR) of 1100-1500 ms or cardiac gating, an echo time (TE) of 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 ms symmetrical 6 echoes, and total acquisition time of more than 281 sec. LF images were obtained with TR of 500, 250, and 100 ms, TE of 18 ms, a flip angle of 30 degree, and total acquisition time of 128 sec. Eleven lesions of spinal disk degeneration and 12 of indentation on subarachnoid space were detected with LF. On the other hand, 26 lesions of spinal disk degeneration and 38 of indentation on subarachnoid space were detected with MSE. Although the parameters of LF employed in this study were relatively effective to emphasize T2*-based contrast, the ability of LF in detection of spinal disk degeneration and indentation on subarachnoid space is less than that of MSE. Signal contrast to noise ratios for normal disk and degenerative disk, epidural-fat and disk herniated material, CSF and disk herniated material, and epidural-fat and CSF were less than 4 with LF, but more than 4 with MSE.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Insights
Multiple spin echo (MSE) MRI is more effective than low flip angle (LF) gradient echo MRI for detecting lumbar spine disk degeneration and subarachnoid space indentation. MSE provided better signal contrast to noise ratios for various tissue contrasts.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Spinal Imaging
Background:
- Lumbar spine pathologies like disk herniation and spondylosis require accurate imaging.
- Evaluating the effectiveness of different MRI sequences is crucial for diagnostic clarity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of multiple spin echo (MSE) and low flip angle (LF) gradient echo techniques in detecting lumbar spine disk degeneration and subarachnoid space indentation.
- To determine which MRI technique offers superior diagnostic performance for these specific spinal conditions.
Main Methods:
- Sixteen patients with lumbar disk herniation or spondylosis underwent resistive MRI at 0.1 T.
- Both MSE and LF sequences were applied to assess lesions.
- Image acquisition parameters, including repetition time (TR), echo time (TE), and flip angle, were systematically varied.
Main Results:
- LF detected 11 cases of disk degeneration and 12 of subarachnoid space indentation.
- MSE detected 26 cases of disk degeneration and 38 of subarachnoid space indentation.
- Signal contrast to noise ratios were significantly higher with MSE compared to LF for key tissue contrasts.
Conclusions:
- MSE demonstrates superior performance over LF in detecting lumbar disk degeneration and subarachnoid space indentation.
- MSE provides better diagnostic information due to higher signal contrast to noise ratios, making it more effective for evaluating these spinal abnormalities.