[Applicability of the dual interval echo train (DIET) method for female pelvic diseases]

Dual interval echo train fast SE (DIET-FSE) is a modified fast SE technique. It attenuates fat signals by applying a time interval between an excitation pulse and the first echo, which is the odd-number of the following echo interval, and by decreasing the number of high frequency refocusing pulses before collecting echoes in the center of the k space, which determines the contrast. Unlike many other fat-suppression methods, this technique is less affected by susceptibility effects. In this study, we compared DIET-FSE with FSE and conventional SE of the female pelvis. The results of DIET-FSE showed a stable, obvious fat suppression effect which resulted in the easy detection of pelvic organs such as the intestines and ovaries, as compared with FSE. The reductions in imaging time and motion artifacts also permitted more precise differentiation between the normal pelvic organs and lesions than conventional T2-weighted SE. These results imply that the DIET-FSE is useful for the diagnosis of female pelvic disorders.