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Comparative Study
. 2012 Jul-Aug;13(4):443-9.
doi: 10.3348/kjr.2012.13.4.443. Epub 2012 Jun 18.

Qualitative and quantitative assessment of isotropic ankle magnetic resonance imaging: three-dimensional isotropic intermediate-weighted turbo spin echo versus three-dimensional isotropic fast field echo sequences

Hyun Su Kim  1 , Young Cheol Yoon, Jong Won Kwon, Bong-Keun Choe
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Qualitative and quantitative assessment of isotropic ankle magnetic resonance imaging: three-dimensional isotropic intermediate-weighted turbo spin echo versus three-dimensional isotropic fast field echo sequences

Hyun Su Kim et al. Korean J Radiol. 2012 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Objective: To compare the image quality of volume isotropic turbo spin echo acquisition (VISTA) imaging method with that of the three-dimensional (3D) isotropic fast field echo (FFE) imaging method applied for ankle joint imaging.

Materials and methods: MR imaging of the ankles of 10 healthy volunteers was performed with VISTA and 3D FFE sequences by using a 3.0 T machine. Two radiologists retrospectively assessed the tissue contrast between fluid and cartilage (F-C), and fluid and the Achilles tendon (F-T) with use of a 4-point scale. For a quantitative analysis, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was obtained by imaging phantom, and the contrast ratios (CRs) were calculated between F-T and F-C. Statistical analyses for differences in grades of tissue contrast and CRs were performed.

Results: VISTA had significantly superior grades in tissue contrast of F-T (p = 0.001). Results of 3D FFE had superior grades in tissue contrast of F-C, but these result were not statistically significant (p = 0.157). VISTA had significantly superior CRs in F-T (p = 0.002), and 3D FFE had superior CRs in F-C (p = 0.003). The SNR of VISTA was higher than that of 3D FFE (49.24 vs. 15.94).

Conclusion: VISTA demonstrates superior tissue contrast between fluid and the Achiles tendon in terms of quantitative and qualitative analysis, while 3D FFE shows superior tissue contrast between fluid and cartilage in terms of quantitative analysis.

Keywords: 3D isotropic imaging; Ankle; Cartilage; MRI; Tendon.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
MR images of right ankle in 31-year-old woman. For 3D VISTA (A), reader A graded excellent and reader B graded good for grade of contrast between Achilles tendon and joint fluid. For 3D WATS-f (B), both readers graded fair. CR of SI of tendon to SI of synovial fluid was 0.953 in 3D VISTA and 0.920 in 3D WATS-f. 3D = three-dimensional, VISTA = volume isotropic turbo spin echo acquisition, WATS-f = water selective, fluid, CR = contrast ratio; SI = signal intensity
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
MR images of right ankle in 30-year-old man. For 3D VISTA (A), both readers graded fair for grade of contrast between cartilage and joint fluid. For 3D WATS-f (B), both readers graded excellent. CR of SI of cartilage to SI of synovial fluid was 0.274 in 3D VISTA and 0.297 in 3D WATS-f. 3D = three-dimensional, VISTA = volume isotropic turbo spin echo acquisition, WATS-f = water selective, fluid, CR = contrast ratio, SI = signal intensity
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