Henrik Jakob Michaely MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Harald Kramer MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Sabine Weckbach MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Olaf Dietrich, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Maximilian F. Reiser MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Stefan Oswald Schoenberg MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To evaluate the feasibility and image quality of multishot T2-weighted(w) abdominal morphologic imaging based on the acquisition of rotating rectangular strips of k-space data after successive RF excitations (BLADE technique).

7 healthy volunteers and 27 patients (13/21 – female/male, 25-77 years) with suspected renal and renovascular diseases were included in this prospective intraindividual study. All individuals were examined at 3.0T in a random order with a standard T2w-TurboSpinEcho(TSE) sequence (TR/TE/FA – 2000ms/81ms/140°, acquisition time 2:52min) and with a T2w-BLADE sequence (TR/TE/FA – 4670ms/113ms/140°, acquisition time 2:11min) with equal spatial resolution of 1x1x4mm². Phantom measurements were performed to measure the objective signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Two independent and blinded radiologists rated the image sharpness, the flow voids, the presence of artifacts, the overall image quality of both techniques and determined their preferred sequence.

The SNR did not show significant differences between the T2w-TSE (SNR-189) and the T2w-BLADE (SNR-181). The overall image quality was rated significantly higher for the T2w-BLADE by both readers (p <0.05). Equally, the presence of disturbing artifacts and the sharpness was ranked significantly better for T2w-BLADE than for the T2w-TSE by both readers (p<0.05). The T2w-BLADE was the preferred sequence in 59% of all cases, the T2w-TSE in 9%, no sequence was preferred in 32%.

T2w-BLADE imaging of the abdomen is feasible with equal or better image quality compared to a standard T2w-TSE sequence in a majority of cases particularly due to the largely reduced number of disturbing artifacts.

T2w-BLADE imaging of the upper abdomen should be used as an alternative when heavy pulsation artifacts are disturbing conventional T2w-TSE imaging.

Michaely, H, Kramer, H, Weckbach, S, Dietrich, O, Reiser, M, Schoenberg, S, Abdominal T2-weighted Turbo-Spin-Echo Imaging with BLADE at 3.0T: Initial Experience.  Radiological Society of North America 2007 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 25 - November 30, 2007 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2007/5006555.html