脑内多发性硬化的MRI诊断

目的：回顾性分析多发性硬化的ＭＲＩ特征及其对诊断与鉴别诊断的价值。材料和方法：经本院临床和随访确诊为ＭＳ的５０例患者，均行常规头颅ＭＲＩ检查，采用普通ＳＥ序列Ｔ１ＷＩ和Ｔ２ＷＩ。３６例继续行钆剂增强后ＳＥＴ１Ｗ扫描和磁化传递成像（ＭＴＩ）。结果：５０例患者脑实质内均见斑片状病灶。多数病灶位于双侧脑室旁白质及半卵圆区（４２例），其次为脑干、小脑（１４例），少数在颞叶、岛叶及顶枕叶（３例）。胼胝体轻度萎缩（１４例）及不同程度的脑萎缩（１５例）。增强后轻度强化及斑点状强化（２０例）。结论：脑内多发性硬化有较典型的ＭＲＩ表现，结合临床常可获确诊     

快速FLAIR序列MRI在脑梗塞诊断中的应用价值

目的：探讨快速ＦＬＡＩＲ序列ＭＲＩ在脑梗塞诊断中的应用价值。材料和方法：对３５例脑梗塞患者行颅脑常规ＳＥ序列和快速ＦＬＡＩＲ序列ＭＲＩ检查,并对比分析常规Ｔ２Ｗ与ＦＬＡＩＲ成像对病变的显示能力。结果：ＭＲＩ共发现５０个脑梗塞灶。除２个病灶外,４８个病灶ＦＬＡＩＲ成像较ＳＥ序列Ｔ２Ｗ成像显示更为清晰明确,其中３个皮层／皮层下病灶和１个脑室旁病灶仅为ＦＬＡＩＲ成像显示;ＳＥ序列Ｔ２Ｗ与ＦＬＡＩＲ成像显     

快速序列动态增强MRI对前列腺癌的诊断价值

目的 研究快速成像序列动态增强对前列腺癌的检出和定性价值。方法 对经活检证实的２５例,临床证实的６例,共３１例前列腺癌患者作了前瞻性增强ＭＲＩ研究。先行ＳＥＴ１ＷＩ、快速自旋回波（ＦＳＥ）Ｔ２Ｗ序列扫描,然后行快速多怪面干扰梯度回波（ＦＭＰＳＰＧＲ）序列团注增强扫描,共４个回合,研究病灶增强情况,并对增强后图像与常规ＦＳＥＴ２ＷＩ进行比较。结果 ＦＭＰＳＰＧＲ增强后扫描,共发现病灶２９个,可疑病灶     

国产低场强磁共振设备脂肪抑制技术的应用研究

目的寻找国产低场磁共振设备（ＡＳＭ０．１６Ｔ）脂肪抑制的成像参数，并了解其在临床上的应用效果。方法应用动物组织样本１０块及２０例健康志愿者的头颅和上腹部各进行２次独立的ＳＥ序列扫描，然后行对应区域的脂肪组织信号强度（Ｓ）测量，最后代入Ｔ１值计算公式：Ｓ′／Ｓ″＝（１－ｅＴＲ′／Ｔ１）／（１－ｅＴＲ″／Ｔ１），分别求得标本及志愿者的脂肪组织Ｔ１值为１１３±８毫秒和１３５±１１毫秒。我们以ＴＩ（反转时间）等于６９％Ｔ１作为中心零点时间行短ＴＩ反转恢复序列（ｓｈｏｒｔＴＩｉｎｖｅｒｓｉｏｎｒｅｃｏｖｅｒｙ，ＳＴＩＲ）扫描，同时行ＳＥ序列Ｔ１ＷＩ及Ｔ２ＷＩ。然后通过脂肪信号强度差异及线形灰度曲线进行检测脂肪抑制效果。结果ＳＥＴ１ＷＩ、Ｔ２ＷＩ和ＳＴＩＲ（ＴＩ９０毫秒时）志愿者的脂肪信号强度分别为：３４０８±１６５、２８９９±１８８和３０５±１０６，并且，ＳＴＩＲ（ＴＩ９０毫秒时）的脾／肝和脑灰／白质对比度噪声比较常规ＳＥ序列明显增高（除ＳＥＴ２ＷＩ脾／肝Ｐ＜０．０５外，余Ｐ＜０．０１）。结论ＳＴＩＲ（ＴＩ９０毫秒时）在检测中综合指标最优，从而认定０．１６Ｔ场强下的脂肪抑制零点时间为９０毫秒。     

强直性脊柱炎骶髂关节影像学分析：附24例骶髂关节平片,CT和MR…

目的：旨在评估强直性脊柱炎（ＡＳ）患者骶髂关节炎的ＭＲ影像特征，并比较Ｘ线平片、ＣＴ和ＭＲ影像在诊断骶髂关节炎中的作用。材料与方法：搜集２４例ＡＳ患者，分别行Ｘ线平片、ＣＴ和ＭＲＩ检查。增强前ＭＲ扫描序列包括ＳＥ Ｔ１ＷＩ、ＦＳＥ Ｔ２ＷＩ和梯度回波的准Ｔ２ＷＩ（ＧＲ Ｔ２＾＊ＷＩ）。增强后ＭＲ扫描序列参数与增强前ＳＥ Ｔ１ＷＩ相同。另选９例志愿者，行ＭＲ平扫检查。结果：８例志愿者１６个骶髂关节的     

胸部快速自旋回波磁共振成像

探讨组成胸部快速自旋回波法成像的Ｔ２ＷＩ优化参数，并比较用外周脉搏门控ＴＳＥ－Ｔ２ＷＩ与不用门控（ＮＤＯ－ＤＰＰＵ）ＴＳＥ－Ｔ２Ｗ的图像质量。结果：ＴＳＥ／Ｔ２Ｗ序序列用与不用外周脉搏门控，图像质量差别小；增加回波链的长度，同时会增加运动伪影。结论：肺部ＭＲＩ检查无需使用外周脉搏门控，但纵隔ＭＲＩ仍需使用。     

颈动脉体瘤的MRI和MRA表现

目的 探讨颈动脉体瘤的ＭＲＩ及ＭＲＡ表现。材料与方法 １３例１５个颈动脉体瘤术前ＳＥＴ１ＷＩ检查,其中行２ＤＴＯＦ ＭＲＡ检查者１２个,ＳＥＴ１ＷＩ增强检查者１０个。结论 １５个颈动脉体瘤均位于颈动脉分叉水平,１３个骑跨于颈动脉分叉（８６．６６％）。Ｔ１ＷＩ表现为等或略高信号,Ｔ２ＷＩ表现为混合高信号。ＳＥＴ１Ｗ１３个肿块内可见流空信号（８６．６６％）,ＦＳＥ Ｔ２ＷＩ均可见流空信号（１００％）。     

MRI与CT对颅颈移行区肿瘤的诊断价值评估：附16例分析

本文旨在评价ＭＲＩ与ＣＴ对颅颈移行区病变的诊断价值，共１６例分析，包括斜坡脊索瘤５例，小脑下蚓部肿瘤２１例，延髓肿瘤４例，上颈段脊髓肿瘤５例。患者均作ＭＲＩ平扫，采用ＳＥ系列，Ｔ１Ｗ（ＴＲ５００／ＴＥ３０ｍｓ）、Ｔ２Ｗ（ＴＲ１８００／ＴＥ９０ｍｓ）和质子密度像（ＴＲ１８００／ＴＥ３０ｍｓ），其中２例作了Ｇｄ－ＤＴＰＡ顺磁增强，所有病例均作了ＣＴ平扫，６例同时还作了增强ＣＴ扫描。通过本组病例分析：１     

动脉导管未闭伴肺动脉高压的SE,Cine,MRI和MRA诊断

目的：报道ＳＥ、ＣｉｎｅＭＲＩ和ＭＲＡ对动脉导管未闭（ＰＤＡ）伴肺动脉高压的诊断价值。材料和方法：６例心超诊断ＰＤＡ不明确女性行ＭＲＩ检查。均采集横断、冠状、矢状、主动脉和左室长轴ＳＥＴ１Ｗ像，４例尚获斜冠／矢状面ＳＥＴ１Ｗ像；ＣｉｎｅＭＲＩ采集主动脉、左室长轴和斜冠／矢状面像，１例还获冠状面像；２ＤＰＣ结合ＥＣＧ门控采集主动脉长轴或矢状面像，４例同时获３ＤＰＣ像。结果：６例ＰＤＡ均经手术或造影证实。横断面ＳＥ未能直接显示ＰＤＡ，４例斜冠状面（平行于肺动脉主干）ＳＥ显示ＰＤＡ；５例ＣｉｎｅＭＲＩ直接显示ＰＤＡ，１例ＣｉｎｅＭＲＩ间接提示ＰＤＡ；２Ｄ／３ＤＰＣ则全部显示；５例伴肺动脉高压者ＳＥ和ＣｉｎｅＭＲＩ均显示其征象，且以后者为佳；对伴随的主动脉瓣和／或二尖瓣返流仅ＣｉｎｅＭＲＩ显示。结论：初步经验表明斜冠状面ＳＥ、ＣｉｎｅＭＲＩ和ＰＣＭＲＡ对ＰＤＡ伴肺动脉高压病例具有重要诊断价值。     

肝癌的影像学评价:1.5T MRI与常规CT、US比较

目的：探讨三种非创伤性影像检查方法ＭＲＩ、ＣＴ和ＵＳ在肝癌诊断中的敏感性和准确性。方法：５２例经病理及临床证实的ＨＣＣ行ＭＲＩ,ＣＴ和ＵＳ检查。结果：ＭＲＩ常规序列与ＦＭＰＳＰＧＲ相比,敏感性以ＳＥＴ２Ｗ及ＦＭＰＳＰＧＲ序列为高。对ＨＣＣ检出总的敏感性依次为ＭＲＩ（ＳＥ＋ＦＭＰＳＰＧＲ）８５．８９％,ＣＴ７５．６４％,ＵＳ７１．７９％,＜３ｃｍＨＣＣ,ＭＲＩ检出的敏感性为７１．４２％明显高于ＣＴ（５１．４２％）和ＵＳ（４５．７１％）,对于＞３ｃｍＨＣＣ,三者敏感性相似。ＨＣＣ定性准确性依次为动态增强ＦＭＰＳＰＧＲ（９２．０６％）,常规ＳＥ序列（８５．９３％）,ＣＴ（８４．７４％）,ＵＳ（７５．００％）,ＳＥ序列结合动态增强ＦＭＰＳＰＧＲ对肝癌定性准确性可达９５％,明显优于ＣＴ和ＵＳ。结论：在ＨＣＣ的检出敏感性和定性诊断上,１．５ＴＭＲＩＳＥ序列结合动态增强ＦＭＰＳＰＧＲ明显优于常规ＣＴ和ＵＳ,为肝癌重要的影像学检查手段。     

SPIO与Gd-DTPA联合增强检测大鼠肝癌病灶的实验研究

目的 :观察联合使用SPIO和Gd DTPA对大鼠肝癌模型的增强特点。材料和方法 :制作 3 0只大鼠肝癌模型 ,增强前后行MR扫描 ,平扫序列包括SE、TSE、GRE的T1、T2WI序列。增强扫描分为 4组 ,其中Gd +SPIO联合增强组 10只 ,先注射Gd DTPA ,行SE、GRET1WI扫描 ,随后给予SPIO造影剂 ,扫描序列同平扫 ;SPIO +Gd联合增强组 10只 ,先注射SPIO ,行SE、GRET1WI扫描 ,12min后再给予Gd DTPA ,扫描序列同平扫 ;Gd、SPIO增强组各为 5只 ,增强扫描序列同平扫。分析各增强扫描组中病灶的增强特点。结果 :两种联合增强方法中 ,肝脏信号强度在所有扫描序列中均较平扫时下降 ,但与SPIO增强组无差异 ;病灶的SNR、CNR在SE、GRET1WI中明显高于平扫和SPIO、Gd DTPA增强法 ;在T2WI中病灶的SNR、CNR和单独使用SPIO无显著性差异。两种联合增强方法之间的SNR和CNR在每种扫描序列中没有显著性差异。结论 :SPIO和Gd DTPA联合增强方法利用了两种造影剂的优势 ,增加了肿瘤病变的对比 ,可提高发现病变的几率。     

Comparison of Gd-DTPA-induced signal enhancements in rat brain C6 glioma among different pulse sequences in 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging

Background: T1-shortening contrast media are routinely used in magnetic resonance (MR) examinations for the diagnosis of brain tumors. Although some studies show a benefit of 3 Tesla (T) compared to 1.5T in delineation of brain tumors using contrast media, it is unclear which pulse sequences are optimal.

Purpose: To compare gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA)-induced signal enhancements in rat brain C6 glioma in the thalamus region among different pulse sequences in 3T MR imaging.

Material and Methods: Five rats with a surgically implanted C6 glioma in their thalamus were examined. T1-weighted brain images of the five rats were acquired before and after Gd-DTPA administration (0.1 mmol/kg) using three clinically available pulse sequences (spin echo [SE], fast SE [FSE], fast spoiled gradient echo [FSPGR]) at 3T. Signal enhancement in the glioma (E_T) was calculated as the signal intensity after Gd-DTPA administration scaled by that before administration. Pulse sequences were compared using the Tukey-Kramer test.

Results: E_T was 1.12±0.05 for FSE, 1.26±0.11 for FSPGR, and 1.20±0.11 for SE. FSPGR showed significantly higher signal enhancement than FSE and comparable enhancement to SE.

Conclusion: FSPGR is superior to FSE and comparable to SE in its ability to delineate rat brain C6 glioma in the thalamus region.     

Enhancement effects and relaxivities of gadolinium-DTPA at 1.5 versus 3 Tesla: a phantom study.

PURPOse: To investigate the difference in enhancement effects and relaxivities of the gadolinium chelate at 1.5 and 3 Tesla (T) and to elucidate the contribution of the high magnetic field to contrast enhancement in spin-echo (SE) and gradient-echo (GRE) images. METHODS: Phantoms containing water with or without gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) at different concentrations were scanned using 1.5T and 3T MRI scanners of the same manufacturer and under the same temperature conditions and scanning parameters. Relaxivities of gadolinium, R1 and R2, were estimated from serial T1 and T2 values of the phantoms using linear regression. Contrast enhancement ratios in SE and GRE T1-weighted images were compared at 1.5 and 3T. RESULTS: The R1 and R2 of Gd-DTPA at 1.5 and 3T were 4.79 and 5.14, and 4.50 and 5.09, respectively. Although the relaxivities at 3T were slightly lower than those at 1.5T, the contrast enhancement ratio improved in both SE and GRE images as a result of T1 prolongation of the water at 3T. CONCLUSION: The decrease in relaxivities of the Gd-DTPA at 3T appears to be so small that T1 prolongation of the water improves contrast enhancement, suggesting a potential clinical advantage in administration of Gd-DTPA at high field strength.     

不同MR扫描序列在SPIO增强大鼠肝癌模型的对比研究

目的：比较多种扫描序列超顺磁氧化铁（SPIO）增强扫描对显示大鼠肝癌病灶的能力，找出最佳扫描方案。TSE T2WI、SE双回波的T2WI＋PDWI、GRE T1WI、T2^＊WI，分析增强前后大鼠肝癌病灶的强化特征，并进行病理学检查对照分析。结果：注射SPIO对比剂后，所有扫描序列均显示肝脏的信号强度较增强前有不同程度的下降，肝癌病灶CNR均分别高于平扫。增强后GRE T2^＊WI中病灶的CNR明显高于其它序列，但增强后TSE T2WI和常规SE T2WI在显示病变的SNR、CNR方面没有显著性差异。结论：SPIO增强后检测肝癌病灶的各种序列中，以GRE T2^*WI最为敏感，其次是双回波的T2WI＋PDWI序列。     

Enhanced MRI of breast cancer smaller than 3 cm]

Twenty-two patients with breast cancers were studied using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with a cylindrical surface coil at 1.5 Tesla. All were examined with the FE sequence and Gd-DTPA as a contrast medium. These images were compared with micrographs of the specimens. All cancers were enhanced clearly, and demarcated margins or spiculations of the tumors were seen as clearly on MR images as on micrographs of the specimens. In 12 patients (9 carcinomas, 2 fibroadenomas and 1 benign phyllodes tumor), dynamic studies were performed after the intravenous injection of Gd-DTPA. All nine carcinomas showed enhancement characterized by a sudden increase in signal intensity on the order of 100% or more within the first 2 minutes after injection. Two fibroadenomas were enhanced slowly. Thirteen patients with breast cancers were examined with several sequences (FE, T1-weighed SE, T2-weighed SE and STIR) with or without Gd-DTPA. The most clearly delineated images of the tumors were those of FE images with Gd-DTPA enhancement. A phantom constituted of various concentrations of Gd-DTPA in 20% albumin solution was measured by signal intensities with T1-weighted SE sequence and FE sequence. The ratio of enhancement of the 20% albumin solution relative to the Gd-DTPA concentration was higher with the FE sequence than with the SE sequence. The sensitivity of the FE sequence to Gd-DTPA enhancement was 1.5 times that of the SE sequence under the usual concentration of Gd-DTPA.     

Comparison of gadobenate dimeglumine and gadopentetate dimeglumine: a study of MR imaging and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy in rat brain tumors

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: After the advent of extracellular contrast media, hepatobiliary-specific gadolinium chelates were developed to improve the diagnostic value of MR imaging of the liver. Gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA) is a new paramagnetic contrast agent with partial biliary excretion that produces prolonged enhancement of liver parenchyma on T1-weighted images. However, whether Gd-BOPTA is useful as a contrast agent in central nervous system disease, particularly in brain tumors, is unclear. METHODS: The behavior of Gd-BOPTA as a brain tumor-selective contrast agent was compared with that of gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA), an MR contrast agent used in central nervous system disease, in a common dose of 0.1 mmol/kg. An MR imaging study of these two contrast agents was performed, and tissue concentrations were measured with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). RESULTS: Gd-BOPTA showed better MR imaging enhancement in brain tumors than did Gd-DTPA at every time course until 2 hours after administration and no enhancement in peritumoral tissue and normal brain. Corresponding results with ICP-AES showed significantly greater uptake of Gd-BOPTA in tumor samples than that in peritumoral tissue and normal brain 5 minutes after administration. Gadolinium was retained for a longer time in brain tumors when Gd-BOPTA rather than Gd-DTPA was administered. CONCLUSION: Gd-BOPTA is a useful contrast agent for MR imaging in brain tumors and possibly an effective absorption agent for neutron capture therapy.     

Gadolinium-DTPA in MR imaging of glioblastomas and intracranial metastases

In 14 patients with the diagnosis of glioblastoma (n = 7) or intracranial metastases (n = 7), magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed using a variety of spin-echo (SE) pulse sequences before and after intravenous injection of 0.1 mmol gadolinium-DTPA (Gd-DTPA) per kilogram of body weight. In 10 patients, tumor tissue could not be adequately differentiated from perifocal edema on unenhanced scans with any of the applied pulse sequences. In four cases of intracranial metastases, poor differentiation between tumor and perifocal edema was possible in T2-weighted (SE 1600/70 and SE 1600/105) unenhanced scans. After administration of Gd-DTPA, tumor tissue showed marked contrast enhancement, and tumor delineation was consistently possible on SE 800/35 images. Tumor tissue could be differentiated from perifocal edema on SE 800/70 scans. Gd-DTPA is likely to increase the potential of MR imaging and refine the evaluation of glioblastomas and intracerebral metastases.     

Comparison of two superparamagnetic viral-sized iron oxide particles ferumoxides and ferumoxtran-10 with a gadolinium chelate in imaging intracranial tumors

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide particles result in shortening of T1 and T2 relaxation time constants and can be used as MR contrast agents. We tested four hypotheses by evaluating MR images of intracranial tumors after infusion of two iron oxide agents in comparison with a gadolinium chelate: 1) Ferumoxtran in contrast to ferumoxides can be used as an intravenous MR contrast agent in intracranial tumors; 2) ferumoxtran enhancement, albeit delayed, is similar to gadolinium enhancement; 3) ferumoxtran-enhanced MR images in contrast to gadolinium-enhanced MR images may be compared with histologic specimens showing the cellular location of iron oxide particles; 4) ferumoxtran can serve as a model for viral vector delivery. METHODS: In 20 patients, ferumoxides and ferumoxtran were intravenously administered at recommended clinical doses. MR imaging was performed 30 minutes and 4 hours after ferumoxides infusion (n = 3), whereas ferumoxtran-enhanced MR imaging (n = 17) was performed 6 and 24 hours after infusion in the first five patients and 24 hours after infusion in the remaining 12. MR sequences were spin-echo (SE) T1-weighted, fast SE T2- and proton density-weighted, gradient-recalled-echo T2*-weighted, and, in four cases, echo-planar T2-weighted sequences. Representative regions of interest were chosen on pre- and postcontrast images to compare each sequence and signal intensity. RESULTS: Despite some degree of gadolinium enhancement in all tumors, no significant T1 or T2 signal intensity changes were seen after ferumoxides administration at either examination time. Fifteen of 17 patients given ferumoxtrans had T1 and/or T2 shortening consistent with iron penetration into tumor. Histologic examination revealed minimal iron staining of the tumor with strong staining at the periphery of the tumors. CONCLUSION: 1) Ferumoxtran can be used as an intravenous MR contrast agent in intracranial tumors, mostly malignant tumors. 2) Enhancement with ferumoxtran is comparable to but more variable than that with the gadolinium chelate. 3) Histologic examination showed a distribution of ferumoxtran particles similar to that on MR images, but at histology the cellular uptake was primarily by parenchymal cells at the tumor margin. 4) Ferumoxtran may be used as a model for viral vector delivery in malignant brain tumors.     

Conventional and rapid MR imaging of the liver with Gd-DTPA

Twenty-three patients with malignant hepatic tumors underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging before and after intravenous administration of gadolinium-diethylene-triaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA). Two different doses were used, 0.1 mmol/kg and 0.2 mmol/kg. The larger dose proved to be more effective than the smaller dose. The signal-enhancement-to-noise ratio was significantly larger in the tumor than in the liver (2 alpha less than or equal to .05). In a moderately T1-weighted spin echo (SE) sequence (SE 400/30) (repetition time [TR] msec/echo time [TE] msec), the tumor was better defined 6 minutes after administration of Gd-DTPA. More strongly T1-weighted sequences--that is, SE 200/20 and inversion recovery 1,500/35/400 (TR msec/TE msec/inversion time, msec)--showed significantly worse contrast between tumor and liver (signal-difference-to-noise ratio [SD/N]) 10 and 15 minutes after administration (2 alpha less than or equal to .05). On the other hand, the low SD/N in the rapid MR imaging sequence was significantly improved (2 alpha less than or equal to .05). The most important indications for administration of Gd-DTPA in diagnosing hepatic tumors are the presentation of perfusion conditions and contrast optimization in rapid MR images.     

Gadolinium-DTPA-Enhanced MR Imaging of Spinal Neoplasms: Preliminary Investigation and Comparison with Unenhanced Spin-Echo and STIR Sequences

Unenhanced T1- and T2-weighted spin-echo, short inversion time inversion recovery (STIR), and gadolinium-DTPA (Gd-DTPA)-enhanced spin-echo and STIR imaging techniques were used in 20 patients as part of a multicenter study to assess the safety and efficacy of Gd-DTPA in spinal imaging. Five patients had normal MR scans. Of those with lesions, both Gd-DTPA-enhanced T1-weighted spin-echo and unenhanced STIR scans improved detection and evaluation of spinal tumors over conventional spin-echo methods, particularly T2-weighted spin echo, by providing higher tissue contrast in shorter imaging times. The Gd-DTPA-enhanced T1-weighted spin-echo scans were most helpful in evaluating intradural tumors, whereas STIR sequences were most effective for extradural tumors and bone metastases. In most cases, Gd-DTPA-enhanced T1-weighted spin-echo scans best delineated tumor margins, and the enhancement was helpful in suggesting a cellular or active nature of the lesions. In some cases, the enhancement resulted in a more homogeneous and thus less abnormal-appearing marrow in vertebrae involved by tumor; therefore, a precontrast T1-weighted spin-echo scan is necessary in all patients who are to be studied with Gd-DTPA.A combined approach that uses T1-weighted spin-echo, Gd-DTPA-enhanced T1-weighted spin-echo, and STIR images currently appears optimal for MR imaging of spinal neoplasms. T2-weighted spin-echo images add information only in occasional cases.