MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING - SPINAL-CORD IMAGING WITH THE TURBO-FLUIDATTENUATED INVERSION-RECOVERY (FLAIR) PULSE SEQUENCE

Twelve patients with suspected or proven spinal cord disease were stud ied with a fluid attenuated repeated echo sequence employing a fast sp in-echo data acquisition (Turbo-FLAIR) and the results were compared w ith those obtained with conventional T-1- and T-2- weighted spin-echo sequences. The Turbo-FLAIR sequence utilized an unselected 180 degrees pulse to reduce the signal from CSF followed by a spin-echo sequence based on the Rapid Acquisition with Relaxation Enhancement (RARE) puls e sequence for data acquisition. Three and four echo versions were use d. Four low signal intensity lesions (cysts or syrinxes) were seen of which three were better seen with the Turbo-FLAIR sequence than with t he other sequences, The remaining lesion was equally web seen. Of the seven high signal lesions found, six were better seen with the Turbo-F LAIR sequence and one was equally well seen. The Turbo-FLAIR sequence is more rapid than the T-2-weighted spin-echo sequence and compares fa vourably with the combined results of both the T-1- and T-2-weighted s pin-echo sequences for lesion conspicuity.