MR imaging of the ankle at 3 Tesla and 1.5 Tesla: protocol optimization and application to cartilage, ligament and tendon pathology in cadaver specimens |
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Authors: | Cameron Barr Jan S Bauer David Malfair Benjamin Ma Tobias D Henning Lynne Steinbach Thomas M Link |
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Institution: | Department of Radiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
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Abstract: | The objective of this study was to optimize ankle joint MR imaging in volunteers at 1.5 Tesla (T) and 3.0 T, and to compare
these optimized sequences concerning image quality and performance in assessing cartilage, ligament and tendon pathology in
fresh human cadaver specimens. Initially our clinical ankle protocol consisting of T1-weighted (-w), fat-saturated (fs) T2-w,
and short τ inversion-recovery fast spinecho (FSE) sequences was optimized at 1.5 T and 3.0 T by two radiologists. For dedicated
cartilage imaging, fs-intermediate (IM)-w FSE, fs spoiled gradient echo, and balanced free-precession steady-state sequences
were optimized. Using the optimized sequences, thirteen cadaver ankle joints were imaged. Four radiologists independently
assessed these images concerning image quality and pathology. All radiologists consistently rated image quality higher at
3.0 T (all sequences p<0.05). For detecting cartilage pathology, diagnostic performance was significantly higher at 3.0 T
(ROC-values up to 0.93 vs. 0.77; p<0.05); the fs-IM FSE sequence showed highest values among the different sequences. Average
sensitivity for detecting tendon pathology was 63% at 3.0 T vs. 41% at 1.5 T and was significantly higher at 3.0 T for 2 out
of 4 radiologists (p<0.05). Compared to 1.5 T, imaging of the ankle joint at 3.0 T significantly improved image quality and
diagnostic performance in assessing cartilage pathology.
Cameron Barr and Jan S. Bauer both equally contributed to this work. |
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Keywords: | Ankle joint Cartilage Tendons 3 0 Tesla MRI Comparative studies |
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